Business Examiner Vancouver Island - January 2018

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PARKSVILLE M & N Mattress Shop wins BBB Torch Award

Vancouver Island WWW.BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA

Island Quarry Provides Materials For Clients Across North America PAGE 14

Polaris Materials Corporation Has Been Producing Aggregates Since 2007 NANAIMO

BY DAVID HOLMES

Foley Dog Treats bag success with quality

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INDEX News Update

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Real Estate

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Port Alberni

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Parksville

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Nanaimo

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Comox Valley

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Campbell River

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ORT McNEILL – T he unique blessings of Mother Nature coupled with solid business acumen have made Polaris Materials Corporation an industry leading international provider of construction aggregates – just ask the City of Los Angeles and a host of other offshore customers that purchase its range of sand, gravel and other construction materials. “The company was founded in 1999 and spent several years exploring for projects like the Orca Quarry near Port McNeill that was discovered by our founder, Marco Romero in partnership with local First Nations, the Kwakiutl Band and the ‘Namgis First Nation. The geology, shape and texture of the sand and gravel in the deposit lends itself to making high performance concrete,”

Nicholas Van Dyk (inset) says the dedicated loading facilities at its Orca Quarry project is a key to its successful operation explained Nicholas Van Dyk, the Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Development

at Polaris Materials Corporation (PMC). With a permitted capacity of

6.6 million tons of material per year, construction of the Orca Quarry was completed in February 2007. Polaris Materials Corporation has an 88 per cent ownership share of Orca Sand & Gravel with the local ‘Namgis First Nation owning the remaining 12 percent. Considered one of the most efficient operations in North America, the Orca Quarry produces premium quality aggregate that is noted for its performance in high strength concrete, and as a result is in demand in regions such as California with its high seismic code requirements. “The main deposit of the quarry is essentially a prehistoric river bed that accumulated masses of sand and gravel as the glacier run off flowed into the ocean. At the end of the last Ice Age, as SEE POLARIS MATERIALS | PAGE 11

Who is Suing Whom 27 Movers and Shakers 8 Opinion

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Contact us: 1-866-758-2684

Nanaimo Engineering Practice Helped Design Chinese Fish Farm Founded In 1994 Herold Engineering Is A Leading Civil & Structural Engineering Firm BY DAVID HOLMES

OUR 15TH YEAR

Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

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ANAIMO – A Vancouver Island engineering firm has played a pivotal role in helping to enhance the Chinese food fish industry. Nanaimo-based Herold Engineering Limited has completed its work designing components of a shorebased fish hatchery in China, one of the first international

assignments for this multi-faceted firm. “The project was in essence an on-land fish farm, an operation created to produce salmon as food fish. The client basically takes the fingerlings and grows them on site, with the young fish actually originating on northern Vancouver Island,” explained project engineer Holly Monaghan. “We didn’t actually go to China,

but carried out the concrete design of the raceways for the fish, some other firm designed the rest of the facility. One of the unique aspects of the job was that we had to produce all of the drawings for the project in both English and in Mandarin, with one of our own staff looking after the translations.” Herold Engineering is a civil / structural engineering firm that has worked over the years with

a wide range of clients including municipalities, institutions and various corporations. The company was founded by Mike Herold in 1994 and currently has a team of more than 60 providing consulting civil and structural engineering services with production offices in Nanaimo and Victoria and with satellite offices in Fort Nelson and Ucluelet. SEE HEROLD ENGINEERING | PAGE 13

NEWS UPDATE

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COURTENAY Island Tourism Markets to Jointly Track Tourism Data Tourism Vancouver Island, in partnership with Island and Sunshine Coast Destination Marketing Organizations, are launching a project to track key tourism data at a local level. The project is intended to improve awareness and increase economic activity driven by visitor spending. Fu nd i ng f rom t he Island Coastal Economic Trust (ICET) w i l l suppor t t he development of a com mon to u r i s m d a t a m a n a ge m e n t a nd a na lysis system, wh ich w i l l faci l itate reg iona l data aggregation and comparison. Approximately a dozen regional destination marketing orga n i zat ion s a re ex p ected to participate, covering most major tourism destinations in the Island and Coastal region. Calum Matthews, Community and Industry Specialist at Tou r i sm Va ncouver Isl a nd, says acc u rate p er for m a nc e metrics a re cr ucia l to datadriven decision making. The project w i l l help f ront-l i ne tourism marketers get a clear u ndersta nd i ng of t h ree key performance indicators for their regions, including awareness, desirability, and Net Promoter

JANUARY 2018

Score: the likelihood of recommending a destination. T he project w i l l t rack a nd pre sent t he se p er for m a nc e indicators in a collaborative, reliable, repeatable way so that the marketing organizations c a n a d ap t a nd evolve t hei r marketing activities to meet the requirements of their target audiences. Since the majority of visitors to t h e I s l a nd a nd t h e S u nshine Coast spend time in mu ltiple com mu n ities, ta ki n g p a r t i n m a ny d i f fe re nt a c t i v i t i e s , ICE T Ch a i r Ph i l Kent sa id it i s i mpor ta nt to have a collaborative approach to give communities a broader perspective of visitor behaviour. This will increase opportunities for joint product development and marketing approaches. The project will begin with gatheri ng data on the th ree key performa nce i nd icators by surveying BC and Alberta residents. BC and Alberta are the primary target markets for Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast tourism. Fu nd i ng for t he project i s provided through ICET’s Economic Development Readiness Program - Regional Collaboration stream. This program stream is designed to support collaborative initiatives which enable communities or organizations to use resources more efficiently. The Island Coastal Economic

Trust is providing up to $12,000 of the total budget of $24,000. Project launch is anticipated for early in the new year, with expected completion by March, 2018.

PARKSVILLE Chamber’s Portable Information Kiosk Promotes Parksville Visitors and locals in Parksville have a new way to discover their community: a mobile digital information booth. T he Parksville and District Ch a m b er of Com m erce a n d Visitor Centre embarked on a new project earlier this year to create a portable digital guide to effectively showcase the region. A grant from Destination BC’s Innovation Funding program led to development of a digital i n for m at ion a l k iosk, wh ich inform both visitors and locals by sharing details about all there is to experience in the region. T he k iosk acts as a mobi le visitor information centre while also promoting Chamber members. With up to 18,000 visitors per day to Parksville and area, the kiosk encourages visitors to do more, spend more, and stay longer. T he kiosk a lso helps residents discover or rediscover SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 3

NEWS UPDATE

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all that the region has to offer. Easy to use, accessible, and innovative, the kiosk delivers deta i ls on loca l attractions, restaurants, retail shops and accommodations. Users can also check on highway conditions, festivals and events, weather conditions, and view a local map. T he k iosk is now i n a h ig h traffic area of Thrifty Foods, right near the customer service desk. It is an eye-catching design that looks like a giant i-phone. Kim Burden, Executive Director of the Parksville & District Chamber of Commerce, says the kiosk provides an opportunity to showcase the regional video. ‘The project is also involved with some great partners including: Thrifty Foods, Pacific Brimm Café & Catering, Sunrise Ridge Resort, Horne Lake Caves, North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre, Lisa M., MacDonald Realty, Quality Resort Bayside, Parker McDonald – Royal LePage Parksville Qualicum Beach Realty, T yler Cave Productions, bDigital Video, 5 Star Media Group and Geeks on the Beach.

CAMPBELL RIVER Campbell River Airport Launching City Owned Jet Fuel Facility Jet f uel sa les at the Campbell R iver A irport ( Y BL) w i l l b e p ro v i d e d a t a m o re spacious facility and at a more competitive price starting Dec. 28. Based on an Airport Commission business case demonstrating the potential for increased revenue for the airport from the resale of jet fuel as an independent dealer, Campbell River City Council approved the purchase of a jet fuel tank and delivery trucks i n the 2017 Fi na ncia l Pl a n. T he British Colu mbia Air Access Program (BCA AP)

contributed up to $903,250 to this capital project. Jet fuel sales generate more than 90 per cent of the A irport’s revenue, with regular customers i nclud i ng Pacific Coastal Airlines, Central Mountain Air, Ministry of Forests Air Tankers and corporate jets. Benefits of this City-owned facility include: increased revenue generation; increased customer service; more competitive fuel pricing based on weekly market rate for jet-A1 fuel; reduced environmental risk and enhanced asset management planning; and increased aircraft parking and reduced small aircraft traffic conflicts. “We are thrilled to be launching our own fuel services at the Ca mpbel l R iver A i rport a nd thank the Province for their financial support of our airport infrastructure,” says Acting Mayor and Airport Commission liaison Colleen Evans. “This new system will allow YBL to become an independent jet fuel dealer, giving the airport the flexibility to take advantage of the open market, keeping our fuel prices competitive while generating revenue.” The City will not sell aviation ga s at t he new f uel faci l it y because costs to provide the additional fuel facility infrastructure would not be recoverable given anticipated nominal sales. To ensure continued access to th is f uel for sma l ler piston aircraft, the City has awarded a contract to Sealand Aviation Ltd. to provide this fuel at the airport. A i r por t jet f uel sa les were previously offered by a branded dealer under an agreement with World Fuels.

investment to create over 3,800 new licensed child-care spaces throughout BC. M i n i s t r y of C h i ld re n a n d Family Development Katrine Conroy unveiled the Child Care Major Capital Program earlier this month and the Ucluelet First Nation’s government recently announced that it would receive $500,000 to bu i ld a daycare centre in Hitacu with capacity for 34 children. T he Ucluelet Fi rst Nation, also known as Yuułuʔ iłʔath, is a Maa-nulth Treaty Nation with a government office in Hitacu, located across the bay from Ucluelet. The Nation’s Elders Committee has decided to name the new

daycare centre Qʷayaciik?iis— Qwaya-tseek-ees—which means ‘wolf cubs.’ “T h is is a positive step for Yuułuʔił families to build a new daycare centre where our children will have a space dedicated to the nurturing and culturally-enriched programming in our community,” said Ucluelet First Nation president Les Doiron adding the community’s daycare services are temporarily housed in the government building. “This new centre will be built above the Tsunami safe zone and close to our government building. It will include a dedicated space for our children to enhance their care with language

UCLUELET Ucluelet First Nation Receives $500,000 for New Daycare Westerly News The Ucluelet First Nation is excited to be part of the provi ncia l govern ment’s recently a n nou nced $33 m i l l ion

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3 programming with our fluent speaking elders.” He added the Nation is seeking other grant opportunities and expects to break ground on the new facility in 2018. Hitacu is one of 52 communities included in the province’s Child Care Major Capital Program that’s expected to create over 3,800 child-care spaces through funded 103 projects. “I’m excited to be announcing that we are building thousands of child-care spaces throughout BC, including more than ever before for Indigenous communities,” Conroy said. “Too many BC families are struggling to SEE NEWS UPDATE | PAGE 4

NEWS UPDATE

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JANUARY 2018

NEWS UPDATE

including Greater Vancouver a nd the Fraser Valley, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, and Montreal. “Some home buyers with more than a twenty per cent down payment may be fast-tracking their purchase decision in order to beat the tougher mortgage qualifications test coming into effect next year,â€? said Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) President Andrew Peck. The Aggregate Composite MLS Home Price Index (HPI) rose by 9.3 per cent year-over-year in November 2017. Apartment units again posted the largest year-over-year gains in November, up 19.4 per cent, followed by townhouse/ row units at 12.3 per cent; one-storey single family homes at 6 per cent; and two-storey single family homes at 5.3 per cent. Benchmark home prices were up compared to last year in 11 of the 13 markets tracked by the home price index. After having dipped in the second half of last year, benchmark home prices in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia have recovered and now stand at new highs: Greater Vancouver prices are up 14 per cent in a year and Fraser Valley prices are up 8.5 per cent. The actual national average price for homes sold in November 2017 was just under $504,000, up 2.9 per cent from one year earlier. However, this national average price is heavily skewed by sales in Greater Vancouver and Greater Toronto, two of Canada’s most active and expensive markets. Excluding these two markets from calculations trims more than $120,000 from the national average price, which then drops to just above $381,000.

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find child care. These new spaces will offer relief and hope to parents.� The program will include 61 new centres and 42 renovation projects. “We are speeding up the creation of new child-care spaces to address years of pent-up demand for child care,� said Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen. “Our February budget will show our long-term commitment to building a system of accessible, affordable and quality child care for families across the province.�

Do You Have The Answers?

CANADA Canadian Real Estate Shows Strong Sales in November

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Home sales via Canadian MLS Systems rose for the fourth month in a row in November 2017, up 3.9 per cent from October. The system also reported an 18.5 per cent price increase on Vancouver Island, compared to a year earlier. In November, benchmark home prices rose by about 14 per cent compared to last year in Victoria and by 18.5 per cent elsewhere on Vancouver Island. Sales activity was also up across the country, led by a 16 per cent jump in sales in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Actual (not seasonally adjusted) activity rose 2.6 per cent year-over-year, setting a new record for the month of November. It was the first such increase since March. A nu m b er of ot her l a rge m a rket s posted year-over-year activity gains,

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REAL ESTATE

JANUARY 2018

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Strongest December on Record

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he Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) reports that on a seasonally adjusted basis, sales of all property types in December were the highest on record, with 667 housing units changing hands last month. Sales of single-family homes i ncreased by 35 per cent from December 2016. Annually, 5,612 single-family homes sold on the Multiple Listing Service System in 2017 compared to 6,059 the previous year, a decrease of seven per cent. However, this reduction reflects the market returning to more normal levels from the unprecedented sales activity generated in 2016. Inventory of single-family homes dropped to 762 in December, the lowest recorded since VIREB began tracking inventory in 1999. The supply of apartments and townhouses dipped by 13 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively. Diminishing housing supply and high consumer demand are driving rising benchmark prices of single-family homes, apartments, and townhouses in all markets. The British Columbia Real

Estate Association (BCREA) notes that the housing market in BC is thriving due to strong economic fundamentals, such as robust retail sales, job growth, and population growth. BCREA’s Fourth Quarter Housing Forecast states that the provincial economy is on track to expand by 3.8 per cent in 2017, the fourth consecutive year of three per cent or more real GDP growth. The cumulative effect has fuelled employment growth to its strongest performance in almost 20 years, with the provincial jobless rate at its lowest level in nearly a decade. However, while provincial economic conditions appear to be on a sound footing, BCREA expects economic growth to slow in 2018, expanding at a respectable 2.8 per cent, but lower than we have seen in some time. The province’s housing market will face additional economic headwinds in 2018, with rising interest rates eroding affordability and Guideline B-20 making it harder for some buyers to qualify for a mortgage. In December 2017, the b e n c h m a rk p r i c e o f a

si ng le-fa m i ly home i n the VIREB area reached $466,400, up 17 per cent from one year ago. (Benchmark pricing tracks the value of a typical home in the reported area.) The benchmark price of an apartment last month rose to $284,400, up 28 per cent board-wide from the previous year, while the benchmark price of a townhouse hit $370,700, a 23 per cent increase from December 2016. T h e D e c e m b e r 2 0 17 benchmark price of a single-family home in the Campbell River area was $375,100, an increase of 20 per cent over December 2016. In the Comox Valley, the benchmark price hit $467,400, up 19 per cent from last year. Duncan reported a benchmark price of $418,000, an increase of 16 per cent compared to December 2016. Nanaimo’s benchmark price rose 17 per cent to $500,500 while the Parksville-Qualicum a re a s a w i t s b e n c hmark price increase by 16 per cent to $524,900. The cost of a benchmark home in Port Alberni was $249,800, up 16 per cent from one year ago.

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JANUARY 2018

Finalists Announced For 2018 BE Awards at Jan. 25 Gala Businesses From Communities Across Vancouver Island Named To “All Star� List

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ICTORIA – Now it’s up to the judges. There are 88 finalists - one of the largest number of finalists ever - for the 18th Annual Vancouver Island Business Excellence Awards, set Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort in Victoria. “There are some spectacular success stories shared by companies that were nominated for this year’s BE Awards, and the judges are working hard to determine the winners,� notes Mark MacDonald of Business Examiner, which coordinates the annual celebration of the best of the best in Vancouver Island business. Black Press is a Platinum Sponsor of the BE Awards this year, a nd R BC Royal Bank, Grant Thornton LLP, Shaw and Liquid Capital West Coast Financing Corp. are the event’s Gold Sponsors. Category sponsors are Coastal Community Credit Union, Helijet, Island Savings Credit Union, Grieg Seafood and Invest Comox Valley.

“It’s like an ‘All Star’ list of businesses that have enjoyed great success over the last year,� MacDonald adds. “As is usual, nominations are virtually split between south of the Malahat, throughout greater Victoria, and north of the Malahat, all the way to Port Hardy and the West Coast.� Finalists from each city: ■Port Hardy Cove Adventure Tours, Kwalilas Hotel, Tex Electric. ■Campbell River Beach Fire Brewing, CR Animal Parties, Marine Harvest Canada, Steve Marshall Ford, Tremain Media Inc.

â– Comox Valley Blinds & Bubbles Boutique, Dale Roberts Notary, Strong Hearts Fitness, Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt, Cumberland Crate Co. â– Parksville-Qualicum Beach Bayview Custom Motorcycles, Bread & Honey Food Company, Close to You Ladies Fashions, M & N Mattress Shop Ltd., Nurture Collective, Alcove Homegrown Living, Arbutus Dental Clinic, Qualicum Beach Inn, Salt and Harrow (French Creek), Mid Island Computer Enterprises (Nanoose Bay). â– Port Alberni Coulson Ice Blast, Port Posh Wash, The Blue Marlin Inn, Totem Tree Service. â– Tofino-Ucluelet Long Beach Lodge Resort, Norwoods Restaurant. â– Nanaimo Alair Holmes, Baby Salsa Mexican Restaurant, Butler Wilson Quality Construction, Coco Cafe, Datum Point Studios, Excalibur Custom Homes, Foley Dog Treat Company Inc., Harris Mazda,

Hearthstone Artisan Bakery, Lanson’s Drywall, Maffeo Salon and Day Spa, Mazzei Electric, Mid Island Co-op, Nori Sushi, Pheasant Hill Homes, Resonance Software, SignAge, Snip ‘n Stitch, Tilray, Tim’s Automotive Repair & Used Car Sales, VMAC. ■Ladysmith 49th Parallel Grocery, April’s Tack Boutique. ■Chemainus Riot Brewing Co. ■Cowichan Valley & Malahat Creative Woodcraft, Made to Last Building & Renovations, Alinea Legal Coaching, Malahat Chalet. ■Greater Victoria Balance Home Cleaning, Big Wheel Burger, Clinic 805, Comfort Keepers, Dodd’s Furniture, Eagle Wing Tours, Engaged HR Inc., First Light Technologies, Freshworks Studio, Home Care Assistance Victoria, Maple Leaf Adventures, Mike Geric Construction, Nu-View Homes, Pain Free Tax & Bookkeeping Service, Soare Contracting Inc., Victoria Eye

Surgery, Wade Roberst Plumbing, Waymark Architecture, Western Interior Design Group Ltd., Tudor House Liquor Store (Esquimalt). â– Sidney Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa, Hook & Hook Renovations, VRX Ventures. â– Sooke Saltwest Naturals Inc., Seaflora Skincare, The Stick in the Mud Coffee House, West Coast Heeler Pack, Westcom Plumbing and Heating. â– West Shore Alpine Auto Repair & Tirecraft, Cascadia Liquor Langford, Colwood Dental Group, Juan de Fuca Veterinary Clinic. Tickets to the event are $125, and it typically sells out early, so tickets can be purchased through www. businessexaminer.ca/events. There are still a few category sponsorships available for the event. For more information, contact MacDonald at 1-866-758-2684 ext. 120 or email: mark@businessexaminer.ca

Making Dough from Dough: Foley Dog Treats Bag Success with Quality

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est Friends deserve the best. Many pet owners agree, which is why Nanaimo-based Foley Dog

Treat Company is a dramatic local success story. Over the past eight years, the company has grown from a home-based,

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tucked-in-the-basement business to an international supplier of quality dog treats in Canada and the U.S. Foley is now completing the certification to expand into the European Union. Foley wants the Foley Dog Treat Company to transform the pet treat industry. She believes owners deserve safe treats for their pets. That means treats made from quality, human-grade ingredients. She isn’t alone. Her success is riding – in part – on a growing wave of pet owners who don’t want to play Russian roulette when dispensing treats. Tragic reports of dogs dying from unknown ingredients used in the loosely regulated pet treat industry, combined with frequent recalls of pet products after those deaths, confirm the need for caution. “The dog food and treat industry is riddled with unhealthy treats,� Foley said. “Foley Dog Treats has a following of people who were looking for healthy products and couldn’t find them.� When pet owners choose Foley’s dog treats, they get more than an excited pooch. T hey a re assu red loca l ly sourced, real food baked into scrumptious nibbles. The treats are grain-free because dogs can be allergic to wheat and gluten upsets their stomachs. Instead, she uses chickpea flour, which adds additional protein, and flax. All products are preservative-free. She doesn’t use chicken because many dogs are allergic to it. Instead she uses human-grade, hormone free meats including bison, venison, duck, beef, elk and turkey. Even kale makes it onto the ingredient list. Foley’s Nanaimo-based production plant resembles a bakery for humans: clean and organized with giant mixers, dough rolled out by hand, cutters, and closet-sized ovens with roll-in baking racks. The company employs 10 people.

The plant can produce 22,000 bags of dog treats a month, which equals “a lot of happy dogs,� Foley said. A year ago she was supported by Community Futures in expanding her operation. She has now almost outgrown her 2500 square foot space and is preparing to expand again. She attributes her company’s success to basics. “I offer a really high quality product. I don’t skimp on ingredients, and I deliver it at a decent price.� She feels this should be the standard for dog treats, instead of an exception. “I make dough from rolling dough,� she quips. Pet food quality is a widespread issue because the lucrative product is dominated by four to five large companies. Although different brand names may be used, the product inside is produced in the same few factories. This is why recalls often spread across multiple brands. Regulation is almost non-existent. “There is no regulation of dog treats in Canada and dog food must only meet minimal agricultural feed quality standards,� Foley says. For pet owners who want to ensure their pets receive quality food, the only option is to seek out smaller scale providers who choose to produce good quality food. Foley produces three brands of treats for dogs: FoleyBites, Dog’n It, and Vitality Dog. She also distributes West Coast Canine Life, a Canadian-made high quality dog food. As the owner of two dogs, Foley understands why owners want the best for their pets. Her dogs often join her in the front office, which is warmed by the aromas flowing from the back shop ovens. “They’re the happiest dogs on earth.� www.foleydogtreat.com

PORT ALBERNI

JANUARY 2018

7

San Group Wants To Expand Forest Holdings In Alberni Valley Mill Owners Announce New Shifts, Commitment To Keeping Logs, Jobs On Island Ruttan said the San Group “has shown us they are committed to our growth, our economic growth.” Ruttan said the city’s historic prosperity—when Port Alberni was the centre of the forest industry—is irrelevant now, and that the city needs to be looking ahead to new economic prosperity. It’s a future that can include high value added fibre products with a company such as San Group, he added. Ruttan said he had a meeting

Port Alberni Mayor Mike Ruttan, right, with San Group representative Bob Bortolin in the background, thanks the Langley-based company for the advances they’ve done since San purchased the Coulson Mill operation last spring PHOTO CREDIT: SUSAN QUINN

Alberni Valley News an Group Mill ow ners K a m a l a n d Su k i Sa nghera have thrown down the gauntlet versus competitor Western Forest Products and say they want to purchase all of WFP’s assets in the Alberni Valley—including WFP’s tree farm licence, Somass Mill and Alberni Pacific Division (APD) Sawmill. The Sangheras spoke of their commitment to bring forestry jobs back to the Alberni Valley during a luncheon recently at their mill on the Alberni Inlet. That would mean keeping raw logs in Port Alberni mills, and not shipping them overseas, as has been the practice for a number of years now. “Every month we are shipping out close to 130,000 cubic metres of raw logs,” Kamal Sanghera said. “Our game is to keep those logs right here in Port Alberni and create jobs right here.” Sanghera spoke in front of San Mill’s employees and invited members of the community as well as dignitaries like BC Liberal leadership candidate Dianne Watts, who said she supports the creation of a comprehensive forestry strategy that would outline sustainable access to fibre for BC mills. Watts is the former mayor and federal MP of Surrey, where the San Group is based. T he Sa n g hera s p u rch a se d Coulson Mill from Wayne Coulson last spring and have been investing in it. They added a second shift in June, and installed a new moulding line in the summer. San Group spent five years work i ng w it h Cou l son M i l l when it wa s u nder Cou l son

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family ownership. “That’s how we ended up buying it, because we depend on Coulson,” Sanghera said. Sanghera announced that the San Mill will be adding a second shift to its remanufacturing pla nt a nd bri ng i ng back the weekend shift in January 2018. “Hopefully at the end of January we will have three shifts on,” he said. They expressed an interest earlier this month during a rally for Somass Mill—owned by Western Forest Products and shut down this fall—to purchase the mill if WFP is willing, Kamal Sanghera repeated. “We are ready to take over APD today and Somass and their TFL. We are ready and willing to take over today and have their mill running in the next 30 days,” he said. Community support will be important if they are to kickstart the Alberni Valley’s forestry industry again, he said. “We know how to run a mill. We know how to export wood… as a community you have to do your job and make this happen.” Norm McLeod, vice-president of United Steelworkers Loc. 1-1937, said the union supports San Group. “T he Steelworkers are totally enthralled with the vision that the San Group has,” he said. McLeod said the Steelworkers are circulating a petition in town to force Western Forest Products to “either restart production at the Somass Sawmill or sell the sawmill and property to someone that will.” “Port Alberni needs a good change in luck and we think San Group is it. We’re here to help them,” McLeod said. P o r t A l b e r n i M a y o r M i ke

with WFP officials recently to discuss whether they would be willing to sell any of their assets in the Alberni Valley to a willing buyer. A spokesperson for WFP, said the company does not comment on rumours. “The Alberni Pacific mill is continuing to operate and there is no change being made at this time,”” she said. Sanghera reiterated his compa ny’s desi re to buy W F P’s assets, although he wouldn’t commit to a price.

“We will go on record, we are willing to sit together and discuss…whatever (WFP) wants to do with it (their tree farm licence). We will go through that process, see what their answers are, and then we will put up a price,” Sanghera said. “We are interested in the TFL, we are interested in APD, we are interested in Somass—the whole Port Alberni (operation). I’ll go farther: if they want to sell anything else, we’re interested,” he said.

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PARKSVILLE

8

JANUARY 2018

Parksville Developer Brings Back Housing Project Parksville Qualicum News early a decade after walking away from a proposed subdivision development, a Parksville developer was back before council to pitch a new version. Garwin Weurch of Radcliffe Development Corp. appeared as a delegation during the regular meeting of Parksville city council Dec. 18, to outline a mixed residential-commercial development at 440 Island Hwy. W. Radcliffe is applying for a zoning amendment and subdivision at the site, a process the company scrapped during the economic downturn of 2008. “I was here (on council) the last time for this proposal and was really excited,� Coun. Sue Powell said. “Then 2008 happened. I think you’ve taken a situation and made it really appealing.� Coun. Teresa Patterson acknowledged “times have changed� since the economy’s slump in 2008, and asked Weurch whether the new development proposal reflects a healthy market. “Yes,� Weurch said. “All private development is driven by market conditions. When the lights went out in 2008, so did we.� The current proposal differs from the earlier application in a pair of key respects. The new development would re-route an open drainage ditch running through the lot and convert it into an urban stream running through a parkland. Also, the ground floor of one of the three, four-storey buildings would be designated for commercial use. Weurch told councillors invasive species

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A proposed development at 440 Island Hwy. W. in Parksville would incorporate a dedicated parkland with a waterway and nature trail. The proponent has applied to the city for a zoning amendment and subdivision at the currently vacant site. — Design concept submitted by Radcliffe Development Corp. would be removed from the streamside and replaced with a riparian, urban forest. A walking trail would follow the course of the stream, with a trailhead at Highway 19A. The development plan designs shared with council Monday indicated three, 4,088 square metre buildings, each four storeys high. Two of the buildings would be residential apartments, while the third, fronting onto Highway 19A, would feature three storeys of residential apartments above the commercial floor. Council approved six recommendations from staff, requiring the developer hold a public open house; requiring an updated traffic and parking analysis; an updated fire flow analysis, provide a maintenance cost assessment for the water channel and that, upon receipt of these items, staff be directed to prepare the zoning and development amendment bylaw.

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JANUARY 2018

Family Business Association Vancouver Island Names Awards Recipients

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he Family Business Association (F B A) of Va ncouver I sl a nd i s pleased to announce that DriveWise BC and Titan Boats tied for the Family Business Excellence (FBE) Award with Mike Geric Construction coming in as a finalist. Daisy Klaibert of Beacon Hill Wealth Management was named the recipient of the family business Young Entrepreneur Award. DriveWise BC is the largest driving school in British Columbia and the leader in driver training in the province. Founded by Arthur and Pat Harris more than 40 years ago, the family business with a head office in Victoria, now has four additional locations, has taught more than 50,000 drivers of all ages, offering a total of 900,000 lessons. Titan Boats began in the basement of founder John Stanner’s home. John saw a need for a more durable product to offer the local Victoria eco-tourism industry. Titan has produced over 400 vessels to date that are still in operation. Titan currently employs 30 full-time staff including five family members. Mike Geric Construction, FBE finalist, was founded by Mike Geric in 1968 to build quality homes in Saanich. In the almost 50 years since, the Geric family has built more than 1,500 homes and grown their company into a leader in the industry. Daisy Klaibert, Young Entrepreneur Awa rd recipient, is respon sible for providing client services and business

development for her family business, Beacon Hill Wealth Management. They have identified a niche market servicing clients with cross-border needs. Daisy is an excellent example of maintaining the work-life balance as a young mother and is an encouragement for other young women to become entrepreneurs. The awards will be presented at a gala ceremony at the Beach House Restaurant in Victoria on February 8th. The Awards are given annually by FBA to recognize, celebrate and promote achievements of Vancouver Island family businesses and the considerable contribution they make to both their local communities and our national economy. Past award recipients include: Tru Value Foods; Wilson’s Transportation; The Canada Homestay Network; Capital Iron; Country Grocer; McCall Gardens; Pacific Sands Resort; Robinson’s Outdoor Store; Monk Office and Accent Inns. To purchase tickets, visit: familybusinessassociationvi.ca

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TRUST MATTERS In today’s marketplace, consumer experience can make or break a business. Consumers tend to vote with their feet — if they have a bad experience with a company, they may take their business elsewhere. Worse, they may also tell their friends and family about their negative experience. In the best case, they might contact the business to complain – thereby giving it a chance to recover. Consumer expectations have been evolving though, particularly among younger generations. They are Rosalind Scott, BBBVI President & CEO demanding more from businesses than a mere transaction. Today’s better business, therefore, must also be customer centric, employee focused, forward thinking/innovative, and environmentally and socially conscious.

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For the marketplace to be successful and be sustainable, relationships must be built on trust. Trust has shifted from being a nice thing to have to becoming a critical strategic asset for organizations in the contemporary marketplace. Unfortunately, consumer trust appears to be eroding. Only about one in four consumers report being completely likely to trust companies with which they do business. And, both businesses and consumers feel that the state of trust in the marketplace has eroded over time. In a recent BBB study, consumers and businesses alike identifed the top three reasons for trusting one another as: 1) honesty/integrity/ethics/transparency; 2) [good] reputation built over time; and 3) [good customer] services/quality.

*Trade-mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus used under license.

It is important to note that these reasons are not discrete; they seem to blend and/or cross over one another. For example, one’s reputation is built primarily through a history of “doing the right thing” (i.e., honesty/integrity/ethics) and “doing it right” (i.e., service/quality). Being perceived as honest is also an important driver for customer service and in building customer relationships. BBB asked consumers who had a postive experience with a business about the company’s business practices, and what specifically made the experience “positive.” The answers were pretty straight forward: a) they (the customer) always know what to expect from the business; b) the business always gets the job done right; c) they (the customer) can trust that the business will tell them the truth; d) the business makes it easy for customers to get their money back if they are not happy; e) the business seems to focus on treating employees very well; and f) the company’s employees seem to enjoy working for the company. At the end of the study, BBB was able to identify 5 Gestures of Trust that strongly influence whether a customer will do business or continue to do business with a company. Trustworthy companies have business practices that are: Honest, Transparent, Proactive, Humble and Equitable...Trust Matters. How does your business measure up?

Engage with Us! Have a favourite social media site? Join us and get real time updates on scams, business tips and local events. BBBVancouverIsland VIBBB Ros Scott

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For more information about BBB’s study/report on the 5 Gestures of Trust go to: bbb.org.

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OFF THE COVER

JANUARY 2018

Polaris Materials Corporation Has Been Producing Aggregates Since 2007 POLARIS MATERIALS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the glaciers receded from Vancouver Island, the land mass was actually about 100 meters lower than it is now, and the Island rose up as the ice withdrew. As we understand it, the entire deposit was placed there when that part of the Island was underwater,” Van Dyk explained. In essence the Orca Quarry is a large and contiguous swath of sand and gravel materials that fortuitously for PMC are of a consistent and high-quality material composition – making it the ideal building material for its growing client base. Integral to the operation, Polaris has constructed a dedicated ship loading facility capable of loading Panamax class vessels (the largest class of ship able to pass through the Panama Canal with a carrying capacity of approximately 80,000 tons) in a 24-hour period. In October PMC was acquired by Texas based US Concrete Inc., a major construction materials supplier in the United States, which will provide Polaris with improved access to the American marketplace. “We are extremely excited to close the acquisition of Polaris. This acquisition will enable us to self-supply a majority of

our current Northern California aggregate requirements and to further expand our footprint into other supply constrained markets along the West Coast, including Southern California,” explained US Concrete’s President, CEO and Vice Chairman, William J. Sandbrook at the time of the announced sale. “The addition of Polaris to the US Concrete family is further evidence of our commitment to increased vertical integration into aggregates to capitalize on attractive longterm growth opportunities for our shareholders. We look forward to working with our First Nations partners in the Orca Quarry, the Kwakiutl Band and ‘Namgis First Nation, as the strength of those relationships are a vital part of the success of the business, today and for the future.” Solidifying Polaris’ footprint in the United States will help ensure its stability and growth in the future. “The offshore markets are essential to the company with about 98 per cent of all of our sales going outside of the country. The quality of the material coupled with the ease and economy of scale in shipping and integrated logistics chain makes the gravel coming out of the Orca Quarry very attractive in several markets,” Van Dyk said. www.polarismaterials.com

(L-R) Jim Cameron, CPA, CA, Sanci Solbakken, CPA, CA; and Steve Wellburn, CPA, CA.

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER MNP Welcomes Hulko Cameron Wellburn LLP Success in business starts with a strong team and a common vision. That’s why we are pleased to announce Hulko Cameron Wellburn LLP (HCW) – a full service accounting firm in Victoria – has merged with MNP. Serving clients in the greater Victoria region for more than 35 years, HCW has grown to a team of 17 and is a like-minded firm that shares similar values and a commitment to helping clients succeed. By bringing together our combined expertise serving private enterprises and professionals, we continue to build the best team possible to meet your business needs. Local in focus and national in scope, MNP is committed to delivering the industry-leading services and the results you need to be successful. Contact Steve Wellburn, CPA, CA, Partner, MNP Victoria, at 250.388.6554 or steve.wellburn@mnp.ca

Located near Port McNeill, the Orca Quarry has a permitted capacity of 6.6 million tons of material per year

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11

NANAIMO

12

JANUARY 2018

VMAC CHANGES GEARS IN FRONT OFFICE

V

MAC, which stands for Vehicle Mounted Air Compressors, announces some new positions at their facility at 1333 Kipp Road in south Nanaimo. Former President Jim Hogan has been named Chief Executive Officer, and former Executive Vice President Tod Gilbert is now the President. Jim’s focus will be on key strategic matters, while Tod will be responsible for day-to-day operations. Ji m a nd Tony Menard fou nded the

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award winning company in 1986. VMAC has been nominated for a Vancouver Island Business Excellence Award this year. ■■■ Wilson’s Transportation is gearing up for a new cha l lenge, as t he Victoria-based bus company has filed an application to start a daily round-trip bus service from Nanaimo to Victoria in 2018. If Wilson’s application to the provincial Passenger Transportation Board is successful, the firm will take over the route that has been serviced by Greyhound Canada. ■■■ Galaxy Motors continues to expand their operations on Vancouver Island, following a series of new building upgrades at several locations. Galaxy Motors has opened a Recreational Vehicle sales and service operation just north of Duncan. ■■■ Andre Sullivan notes he and Daniel Martinez are renovating their 450 Wentworth Street office for Integral Wealth Management, and has moved into temporary office space at 302-155 Skinner Street – The Cliff Center – until the upgrading work is completed, which is expected by this summer. ■■■ Lewkowich Engineering Associates is looking forward to their new building that is under construction at 1900

Boxwood Road. It is hoped they’ll move in, from their long-time Kenworth Road location, before spring. ■■■ The B.C. Hockey League’s Nanaimo Clippers have a new coach, as Mike Vandekamp has been dismissed by new owner Wes Mussio. Darren Naylor, who had been the new head of hockey operations, becomes the head coach as well. He was the Pacific Junior Hockey League Coach of the Year last season with the Delta Ice Hawks. Joining the Clippers as an Assistant Coach is Bob Foglietta. A one-ti me 60-goal scorer in the Western Hockey League, Foglietta was voted an all-star in the 1986 Memorial Cup tournament as a member of the Portland Winter Hawks, along with National Hockey League Hall of Fame member Luc Robitaille. ■■■ Congratulations to Bruce Pletsch of Complete Vending, which has added the food services for Fuller Lake Arena to their expanding business. ■■■ The Greek House is the name of a new Greek restaurant that is opening on Ross Road. ■■■ A new clinic is slated to open in Janua ry at 104-5160 Dubl i n Way, ca l led Pacific Station Medical. ■■■ The new Beach Fire Grill has opened its doors for business on Stewart Avenue. ■■■ Another Noodle Box is expected to be opening soon in Metral Station in north Nanaimo. ■■■ Another tenant is moving in close to Cobs Bread on Metral Drive, near Real Canadian Superstore. Oxygen Yoga and Fitness is opening in February. Meat Craft Urban Butchery Inc. opened their first Nanaimo store last fall in the strip mall that was transformed from the previous United Buy & Sell furniture warehouse. Meat Craft also has an outlet in Port Moody. Mark MacDonald writes about business in Nanaimo. Tell him your news by emailing him at mark@businessexaminer.ca

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Founded In 1994 Herold Engineering Is A Leading Civil & Structural Engineering Firm HEROLD ENGINEERING

Monaghan, who has been with Herold for the past three years, had worked with the fish farm’s project manager on an earlier job, the success of which encouraged him to hire the Nanaimo firm for this current task. Dongying is located in Shandong

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The practice has had extensive experience in municipal engineering, including project management, feasibility and conceptual design studies, detailed design, contract administration, site supervision and layout, and construction management for its expansive client list. The raceway project was constructed at Dong y i ng i n the People’s Republ ic of Ch i na. Herold Engineering was hired to design a total of 16 large (24 meter by six meter) raceways for the fish farm. What was especially unique was that the structures were housed within an expansive building. “The whole thing is indoors, essentially something like a very big warehouse, so it was a fairly unique project,” Monaghan said.

Nanaimo-based engineer Holly Monaghan helped to design a land-based fish farm in the People’s Republic of China

“The project was in essence an on-land fish farm, an operation

Province, approximately 400 kilometers southeast of Beijing, close to Laizhou Bay a major entry point to the Yellow Sea and to South Korea beyond. With the success of the project behind them Monaghan doesn’t rule out the engineering practice taking

on additional international assignments in the future. “This was one of the few international projects Herold has been involved in, but based on the success of the job no one says it will be our last,” she said. www.heroldengineering.com

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“Originally I thought the project was only going to involve four raceways but it grew to 16 before it was completed. Our normal market area is primarily British Columbia so it was certainly out of the ordinary to be selected for a project in China, but we have been involved in fish farms and other similar marine projects in the past which was a factor in our firm being selected.” Another reason Herold was given the green light for the Ch i n a assig n ment was t h at

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PARKSVILLE’S M & N MATTRESS SHOP WINS BBB TORCH AWARD “Sleep is a huge part of Award Winning Store Specializes In Mattresses & Innovative Sleep Technology

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ARKSVILLE – Sleep is a key component of a healthy lifestyle and for Mark Nagra the owner of award-winning M & N Mattress Shop, ensuring everyone has a good night’s sleep is as much a mission as it is a business. Opened in 2000 (under the name M & N Furniture and Mattress) Nagra has focused his business on promoting the innumerable health benefits of sleep, by offering his expanding client base with the latest in sleep products and the best in innovative sleep-inducing technology. “The highlight of my 30-year career was winning the Better Business Bureau of Vancouver Island’s Torch Award with first place in the customer service category in 2017. It’s also incredible that not only our store here in Parksville is doing well but our store that is in the Lower Mainland, in White Rock, (WR Mattress Gallery) also won a BBB Torch Award this year which is really unbelievable. But it all comes down to providing small town customer service,� he said. More than a mattress store, M & N Mattress specializes in sleep, but offers a wide range of furniture choices as well – with most of the products manufactured in British Columbia. For example, M & N Mattress Shop is the number one per capita dealer of Cabinet Beds in North America, and Nagra’s mainland store is the number one volume dealer in North America. Located at 1-291 East Island Highway in Parksville, M & N Mattress Shop carries a diverse range of products including massage chairs, adjustable beds, full bedroom suites, a unique line of cabinet beds and much more. But the heart of the store’s product line is its exceptional range of mattresses, including its distinctive selection of Pure

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MARK NAGRA OWNER, M & N MATTRESS SHOP

Mark Nagra and the entire team at M & N Mattress Shop are honoured to have won the 2017 BBB Torch Award Energy IRONMAN Mattresses which are produced using Celliant technology which can increase oxygenated blood flow in its user by as much as 24 per cent. M & N Mattress Shop and WR Mattress Gallery is both number one and number two Ironman mattress volume dealers in Canada. The favourite choice of athletes like Bo Horvat of the Vancouver Canucks (an M & N customer) and other health-conscious individuals, increased blood flow can help speed recovery from injury while enhancing the quality of the sleep and recovery experienced by its user. IRONMAN Mattresses are manufactured using premium and natural Cellitex latex that enhances sleep efficiency, reduces pain, balances body temperatures and generally promotes a healthier night’s rest. “Just look at the reviews on Ironmanmattress.ca,� says Nagra confidently. W h i le to d ay t he ow ner of two award winning furniture and mattress stores, for Nagra a career in sleep promotion is something that just sort of happened. “About 30 years ago I was

M & N Mattress Shop is located 1-291 East Island Highway in Parksville, where it has been for the past nine years

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Congratulations to M&N Mattress on your 2017 Torch Award, from your friends at Sabo, Jang & Co. Ltd. 118 McMillan Street S., Parksville Phone: 250.951.2000 Email: frontdesk@sabojang.com www.sabojang.com

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M & N Mattress Shop offers a wide range of sleep products, from mattresses to full bedroom suites

Cabinet beds, ideal for apartments and small homes, are just one of M & N Mattress Shop’s unique products enrolled in a sales management training course in Vancouver. Then I was offered a job in sales in Campbell River, in my hometown. I wasn’t shy, and I liked to talk so the owner of the store gave me an opportunity – that was in September 1987,” Nagra explained. Going to work in a furniture store, and with an insatiable curiosity, he asked to be instructed in the fine details of the furniture business, rather than being placed directly on the sales floor. Like a sponge for information Nagra learned how furniture is made, how warranties work, learned about foam and other retail details. “This went on for about a week, preparing me to get onto the floor. But within three months I had become the number one salesman in that store for

two out of the three months, I was setting a sales record for the

Congratulations on your 2017 Torch Award!

store,” he recalled. “So, then they told me they were

going to open a store in Courtenay in three months and that they wanted me to manage it. That’s sort of where it all started. If you want to learn you have to ask a lot of questions, so I was always hungry to learn and that’s something that’s never changed. You never know it all, there’s always research to do, or trade shows in Vegas to go to.” Having attended industry trade shows across North America Nagra’s favourite part of the experience has always been participating in as many learning seminars as he can, to keep up to speed on the latest industry and technology changes. That hunger to learn is what has led him to select the distinctive products available at the M & N Mattress Shop. In 2000 the opportunity to open his original Parksville store appeared. Initially housed in a former pool hall that had been owned by his father and brothers, M & N Furniture and Mattress as it was known quickly earned a reputation for quality products and exceptional service,

hallmarks of the business philosophy Nagra continues to foster at his current location. “Being able to recommend the proper mattress is very important. You’d have to know about the body, you’d have to know about health which is a big passion of mine. My son is in naturopathic medicine, so we try to focus on health quite a bit with every product we sell. For example we don’t sell memory foam products because of the high off-gassing chemicals it exudes, which can cause long term health issues. Sleep is a huge part of being healthy, if you don’t sleep, you can’t function properly” he said. For the future M & N Mattress Shop (which moved to its present location about nine year ago) will be opening a separate custom sofa gallery next to its current site within the next few months to provide its clients with an expanded range of quality products. At the same time Nagra has been searching for the perfect location in Victoria. The move is all part of Nagra’s overall focus on delivering the best in terms of products, “If you shoot for perfection you get excellence, that’s the business motto I’ve always followed. I’d like to think I have a customer’s eyes and ears, so I try to provide the products and the experience the customer wants and needs,” he said. “It’s all about the customer and their needs before, during and after the service. It’s all about what the customer thinks and customer service.” M & N Mattress Shop and WR Mattress Gallery are both the highest volume sellers for the Ironman Mattress and Cabinet Beds in North America. “I’ve always believed that there is no “I” in team, and building a perfect team doesn’t happen overnight. We have an unbelievable team and they are the reason we won the BBB Torch Awards and now finalists in the Business Excellence Awards for Vancouver Island in the Retail category on January 25th 2018. We’ve succeeded by always asking ‘what’s next’ – finding that answer is going to be the key to our continued success.” www.parksvillemattress.com

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he Georgie Awards was established in 1992 by a group of industry professionals who decided to start a housing awards program, not for economic benefit, but to provide value to the residential construction industry and communities throughout British Columbia. The awards were named after Captain George Vancouver, an officer in the British Royal Navy, who first entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca on April 29, 1792. Captain Vancouver was the first European to enter Burrard Inlet, named after his friend Sir Harry Burrard (a British Member of Parliament), on June 13, 1792. In 1992, entry into the awa rds was open to a l l builders, renovators and developers in the province of British Columbia. In 2001, in order to manage and strengthen the integrity of the program, the Georgie Awards was changed to a CHBA BC members-only recognition program which it continues to be today. Pheasant Hill Homes Ltd. has become a finalist for the 2018 Georgie Awards in the category of Best Kitchen Renovation over $125,000 for

their renovation of a heritage home in down town Nanaimo titled ‘Heritage Enlightened’. The transformation is truly spectacular with the interior design of the renovation looking nothing like the original closed in layout. They took a closed in space and created an open concept kitchen/ living room/dining area that is current and functional. This project also included the structural upgrades and changes to the home including a new Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) foundation, triple glazed windows, and exterior insulation as part of the deep-energy retrofit. This is the second year in a row that Pheasant Hill Homes Ltd. has had one

of their projects selected as a finalist. At the 2017 Georgie Awards, they were finalists in the categories of ‘Best Certified Home’ and ‘Custom Home valued $500,000 - $899,000’ for a home that was built in The Ridge housing development in Nanaimo. T h e G e o rg i e Aw a rd s continue to be the premier housing awards program in British Columbia that showcases the best of the best in new construction, renovation, design, energy-efficiency and marketing. The winners of each category will be announced at the 26th Anniversary Georgie Awards Gala on Saturday March 10, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver Hotel.

CONSTRUCTION

JANUARY 2018

17

New Government Labour Report Projects Massive Job Openings British Columbia Construction Association Working To Attract Youth To Sector “When we drill down into

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hanks to an energized construction market, and to the pending retirement of thousands of Baby Boomers over the next few years, British Columbia will be seeing more than 900,000 new job openings appear within the next decade. That’s just one of the findings of the BC 2017 Labour Market Outlook, released late last year by the provincial government. “The new labour market report that just came out, talks about 900,000 job openings coming. But that’s not exclusive to construction. Those numbers refer to job openings in all sectors. In fact when we drill down into the construction sector we see approximately 60,000 job openings happening between now and 2027,” stated Chris Atchison, the President of the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA). “When you see numbers like that for our industry alone, and having talked with construction leaders across the province, it’s clear that there is a need for skilled labour all across the province.” The annual report states that during the next decade a total of 917,000 job openings will appear

the construction sector we see approximately 60,000 job openings happening between now and 2027.” CHRIS ATCHINSON PRESIDENT, BRITISH COLUMBIA CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION

The President of the BCCA Chris Atchinson (inset) says the provincial construction industry is extremely busy in BC, with a full 70 per cent of those slots left vacant due primarily to retirement. The report also states that 48 per cent of the openings to be filled will be taken by individuals new to the workforce, with 36 per cent of the jobs to be filled by immigrants and by workers moving to BC from other provinces. Other interesting statistics included in the government report are such nuggets as the fact that

more than 3,500 construction senior managers will be retiring in the next 10 years, and that trades and equipment operators are going to be among the most sought after in terms of replacement workers. Of the 60,000 construction industry jobs that will become vacant by 2027 only 2,000 will actually be new jobs in the marketplace, the vast majority of the vacancies will appear through retirement or by workers

moving to other sectors. “The construction industry is one that is currently booming in all regions of the province, but the aging of the workforce is having an impact on the sector. I believe in construction twothirds of our workforce is over 45, so in the next 10 to 15 years there will be a lot of aging out. In fact the government report estimates 97 per cent of the job openings in construction will be due to retirement,” Atchison said. On Vancouver Island the situation is much the same – plenty of work but a desperate need for

trained, certified and skilled workers. “From what I hea r from the Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) the construction labour market on Vancouver Island is strong. There are plenty of projects underway, certainly in the Victoria area, and thanks to the mobility of our workforce, if there’s a job in Courtenay for example people are willing to travel to take them on,” he said. The government report states that during the next 10 years there will be 133,800 job openings in the Vancouver Island / BC Coast economic region. Of those jobs 77 per cent will be due to the retirement of existing workers. Employment in the region is projected to have negligible growth, rising by an annual average of a 0.8 percent, which is slower than the provincial average. Atchison states that education is essential for filling the pending employment shortfall in BC. “Our statistics show there’s one in 70 high school graduates who go straight into the trades. But we calculate that we need that number to be about one in 10, some say one in five, to fill the gap that is expected,” he said. www.bccassn.com

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PRINTING & SIGNAGE Sponsored By

Printing & Signage: Classic Industries Evolving For A New Age Despite The Online World, Printing & Signage Remain Important Business Sectors BY DAVID HOLMES Marketing is defined as: “The action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.” Despite the advent and increasing importance of the digital world such classic marketing techniques as printing and signage remain crucial elements in a typical business’ overall marketing mix. But both of these traditional means of reaching new and existing clients are under pressure, a pressure that is reshaping them to address the rapidly evolving needs, tastes and expectations of clients in the 21st Century. “When it comes to business everyone needs a sign, whether it is a large illuminated sign or a simple ‘Open’ sign in the window. The sign is the first impression a potential customer will have of SEE PRINTING & SIGNAGE | PAGE 19

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Regardless of the importance of the online world there is still an ongoing need for traditional printed material

PRINTING & SIGNAGE

JANUARY 2018

19 “Printing and sign making aren’t going anywhere; it’s changing to be sure, but is still a valid and important industry.” KERRY VAN ASWEGEN PAST PRESIDENT, BC SIGN ASSOCIATION

Creating an effective digital sign requires the same graphic talents and creative eye of a classic sign maker

PRINTING & SIGNAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

Digital printing technologies have helped to revolutionize the printing industry, with high speeds and lower costs

your business. Making that first impression a good one is the job of the sign maker,” explained Kerry Van Aswegen the Past President of the BC Sign Association, the provincial chapter of the Sign Association of Canada. With roots going back more than 60 years, the Sign Association of Canada is the national umbrella organization for the sign industry and includes in its membership both the suppliers of materials and technology used to create signs, and the actual sign shops where the ideas and visions of the owners and customers take form. The Sign Association has outlets across the country, with the British Columbia chapter having a membership that includes just over 30 sign shops and suppliers. “One of the problems facing

our industry, the sign industry, is that today there are not that many printers who only do printing. Basically all of the old time printers who used to do the offset printing and things like that have now moved into making signs, even if they don’t really understand the industry,” Van Aswegen explained. “T hey could use the wrong materials for the application for example, making an outdoor sign that can’t stand up to the weather – which ultimately reflects back on the industry as a whole. As a rule sign shops aren’t getting into printing, but the same can’t be said in reverse. This is just one of the challenges facing the industry.” International business research firm IBISWorld, which has been collecting business information and carrying out market research on thousands of industries and indirect procurement categories worldwide since 1971, states in its latest report that the signage industry in Canada (including the creation of bill boards) is currently a $2 billion industry, one that employs more than 8,800 individuals, working in nearly 1,900 businesses across the country. According to IBISWorld the Canadian billboard and sign manufacturing industry has grown markedly during the past five years as billboards have maintained their appeal in the country as one of the few remaining ways to reach a broad consumer base in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. The firm states: “Despite falling advertising expenditure over the five years to 2017, downstream consumers have rapidly increased their spending on billboard space, SEE PRINTING & SIGNAGE | PAGE 20

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spurred by their efficiency at targeting specific locales as well as increasingly technologically advanced billboard options.” Over the next five years, the industry is expected to continue expanding with digital products anticipated to remain the fastest-growing segment in the

JANUARY 2018

industry. Digital signage is also expected to become the sector’s greatest source of revenue over the next few years. IBISWorld states this segment of the industry has recorded an annual growth of 6.1 percent between 2012 and 2017 – in sharp contrast to its solely print-based companion industry. “There is definitely a need for professional sign makers in the

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industry, and like with every other field, the general aging of the workforce means we’ll need new entrants to the industry to replace those who will soon be retiring,” she said. Much larger in terms of revenues and workforce the Canadian printing industry is a $9 billion industry employing more than 50,000 people nationwide in nearly 6,000 individual businesses. But unlike with signage, the annual growth in this sector

during the past five years has actually been in decline, down a fractional -0.8 percent according to the IBISWorld research. The far reaching impact of digital media is being credited for this slowing trend. The research firm states that publishers and advertisers (responsible for roughly one third of all industry sales) have increasingly shifted their focus toward the online world. Although advertising expenditure

in Canada has actually increased over the past five years, this growth is expected to have been entirely in digital platforms. Advertisers can now use social media and other digital tools to more effectively target specific demographics that previously had been accessed using traditional print-based tools. Consequently, demand for direct mail, periodical inserts and other SEE PRINTING & SIGNAGE | PAGE 21

JANUARY 2018

PRINTING & SIGNAGE

21

Even with the impact of the Internet, Canadians have a vast appetite for printed products of all types

PRINTING & SIGNAGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

While an industry in transition, one of the sign making industry’s bright spots is Canada’s love of billboards

In Canada the sign making industry is a giant sector generating more than $2 billion in sales annually

industry advertising products has noticeably fallen, although these products maintain a place in many locally-focused marketing strategies. But that doesn’t mean the print and signage sectors are going to be disappearing any time soon. Savvy business owners have embraced the new technologies to reduce costs and to add new products lines for their customers. In addition, post-secondary institutions such as the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s (BCIT) industry leading Graphic Communications Technology Management program is preparing the next generation of printers and sign makers by providing real world training on some of the industry’s most

contemporary technology. For Van Aswegen that ongoing effort on preparing for tomorrow is what will keep both aspects of the industry viable and active for the foreseeable future. As part of her contribution she regularly makes presentations to schools, to introduce students to the sign making industry. “Once the kids come in and see how it’s done they get excited and that’s how you get them interested in pursuing this as a career option. That’s how we can help fill the ranks that are going to be vacant in the future,” she said. “ P r i n t i n g a n d s i g n m a king aren’t going anywhere; it’s changing to be sure, but is still a valid and important industry and one that can be an excellent career for someone just getting into the business.”

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JANUARY 2018

COMOX CENTRE MALL AIMING FOR FULL OCCUPANCY UPON OPENING “The commitment our new Downtown Commercial / Retail Project Helping To Energize Business Community

and existing tenants have shown is clear faith in the project and faith in the community.”

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OMOX – W h i le slated for complet ion nex t spring, the revamped and re-energized Comox Centre Mall is already 70 per cent occupied, and anticipates being fully tenanted by the time the finishing touches are added. “I anticipate being 100 per cent leased by the time we open. Our objective is to be 100 per cent leased and everyone open by May 1,” explained David Coon, a developer and Partner in Comox City Centre Retail Ltd., the shopping centres current owners. The $4.5 million renovation project is seeing what began life as a strip mall in the 1960s upgraded into a contemporary commercial / retail development right in the heart of downtown Comox. The upgrading project includes drastically redesigning and rebuilding the main mall portion of the development to allow each tenant to have outside exposure and access. In addition the centre’s separate office section which was vacant for years is being rebuilt, including the installation of a badly

DAVID COON PARTNER, COMOX CITY CENTRE RETAIL LTD.

needed elevator, is now 100 per cent leased. A separate stand alone building fronting Comox Avenue is also taking shape. Coon and his business partner Keith McRae acquired the aging property about a year and a half ago, recognizing its tremendous potential, but also acknowledging that the property was sorely in need of much more than a cosmetic facelift to turn it into a viable part of the local business community. Spearheading the renovation effort is Calgary-based Centron Construction Group, which also acts as a partner in the mall’s ownership. Centron is a major Western Canadian developer and construction firm with a portfolio of projects ranging from malls to office buildings to multi-family residential housing developments. The Comox project is the first time the Centron Group has worked on Vancouver Island.

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This rendering shows the new and greatly improved business centre portion of the mall, complete with elevator Relying on local trades and suppliers for much of the renovation and construction work, the Comox Centre Mall project is currently one of the largest undertakings of its kind currently underway in the Comox Valley. In a recent interview Centron’s Executive Vice President Richard Heine said that based on the quality of the work his company has received from the local contractors, this may not be the corporation’s last Island project. “While we’ve never worked on Vancouver Island before we have completed projects in Vancouver, in the Interior and in Northern BC. Working on such a diverse group of projects we have to rely on local contractors to do much of the on-site work and we’ve been very pleased with the quality and skills of the many local contractors that we’ve hired for this project,” he said. For Coon a large part of the success of the project has to be shared with the mall’s current slate of tenants, businesses that have had such faith in the endeavor that many have initiated renovation efforts on their own as a demonstration of their commitment to the mall. “A very positive part here is the commitment we’re getting from some of the existing tenants. It’s very important to us. It’s clearly showing their faith in what we’re doing and their commitment not

only to us as the landlord but to the Town of Comox itself,” he stated. “Good examples of this are the BC Liquor Store which has renewed for a further five years. They’re also going to be adding coolers for chilled beer and wine which will be great for business and the local consumers. It’s a service that no one is currently offering in the immediate downtown area, so it’s something being welcomed by the residents. It’s also a demonstration of their belief in the project as a whole.” Other key anchor tenants at the mall include John’s Your Independent Grocer which is associated with Loblaws, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (which was recently renovated and has since renewed its lease for a further five years) as well Rexall Drugs which will be undertaking a renovation program of its own. “Rexall has announced that it will be carrying out an expansion and a full renovation to bring the design to the standards of their new prototype store. They’ve also announced that they will be opening a 2,000 square foot medical clinic as part of its renovation effort, which will be another huge asset for the downtown – especially since the closing of the nearby Saint Joseph’s Hospital Emergency,” Coon said. “On top of that they’ve just renewed their lease for a further 10 years. That certainly represents

another good commitment to both the mall and to the community. The mall is certainly serving as a central supplier for the town. With it offering food, drugs, liquor and banking you have four very key retailers – perfect anchor tenants for the centre like this.” One of the newest arrivals to the mall is the Dollarama store, a 10,000 square foot retail centre that opened for business in December. The closest store of this type, prior to opening at Comox Centre Mall, was a sister store in Courtenay. The opening of this new retail centre is yet one more inducement for Comox residents to shop locally – making the mall a major catalyst for economic expansion in the downtown core. Excited by the success and the response of the project, Coon is none the less looking forward to its completion and the commencement of normal operations at the mall. “The commitment our new and existing tenants (a total of 18 right now) have shown is clear faith in the project and faith in the community. I think it’s great,” he said. “Let’s face it, the old mall was an embarrassment, this renovation work was more than past due. It was certainly on life support before all of this began, but now it is being given an entirely new lease on life.” www.centrongroup.com and www.comoxmall.ca

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COMOX VALLEY

JANUARY 2018

STATE OF THE ISLAND REPORT PRESENTATION

COMOX VALLEY DIANNE HAWKINS

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n Ja nua ry 11, 2018 the Comox Va l ley Ch a mber of Com merce w i l l host an economic forecasting event for the region. Partnering with MNP and Comox Valley Econom ic Development Society; the Chamber is able to provide regional, provincial, and hyper-local forecasts for Chamber and business members in the Comox Valley. Every two years M N P presents the State of the Island report with a regional and provincial focus. For 2018 we are looking at how t he fe d era l, prov i nci a l a nd regional economies affect our businesses. T he Econom ic Forecasti ng event is usually sold out each year as there is much anticipation on where the ‘ball is rolling’ and having a professional

over v iew of ou r reg ion. We are pleased to have panelists Braden Batch, CMHC Senior Market analyst for Vancouver I sl a nd; Ada m Speigel, Senior account manager at BDC; a n d S u s a n M ow b r a y, M N P Senior Economist. Susan will present the State of the Island report, Braden will speak to prov i ncia l housi ng ma rkets and their effect on Vancouver Island, and Adam will give an overview of issues common to all businesses across Canada. Jo i n u s fo r a C o n t i n e n t a l breakfast and knowledgeable speakers focusing on where our economy is and where it is likely to go in 2018. Thanks to our partner MNP and our sponsor CVEDS. ■■■ Each year the Comox Valley Cha mber of Com merce presents the A n nua l Com mu nity Awa rds i n Ja nua r y. T h is year’s Chamber Awards Gala is on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at the Florence Filberg Centre in downtown Courtenay. The gala features a champagne reception, a sit down gourmet dinner, an Academy Awardsstyle video presentation of all award finalists, and a not-tobe missed silent auction. This year’s Chamber awards has a Beauty and the Beast theme.

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o u r t e n a y ’s n e w Riverwalk Centre is a mixed used building, featuring sixteen unique modern condom i n iu ms w it h lof ts, all featuring views of the mountains or of the river a nd ocea n. T hese lof tstyle homes are located on the upper floor of the building. The ground and mezzanine floor are zoned to accommodate commercial and office space. T he u n ique desig n of this building, makes it a f i rs t of its k i nd i n Courtenay. The developer, Highstreet Ventures Inc. (Scott Butler) along w ith pa rtners Don Bell

and Matt Butler of Traine Construction Ltd and one other investor have built four projects in Courtenay, including The Tides, a 45-unit condo project a l o n g s i d e t h e r i v e r, a Holiday Inn Express on Cliffe Ave and the recently constructed and sold out 71-u n it residentia l c o n d o m i n i u m p ro j e c t called Riverstone. Highstreet Ventures Inc. has ju st b een honou red by PROFIT 500 on its 29th annual ranking of Canad a’s Fastest-Grow i ng Companies. The residential units are a l l desig ned d i fferently, ranging in size from 551 sq. ft. to 1,101 sq. ft. There are 16 floor plans to choose from and the prices range from $229,000 to $399,900. Some of the features include 15’ ceilings, large 7’ tall windows in every home, loft bedrooms that open to the living room below, open concept kitchen, dining, and living space, quartz cou ntertops i n k itchen a nd bath, la rge format

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Thank you to our award and event sponsors ma ny whom have been supporti ng th is community event for years. We consider them the foundation of the event’s success. For 43 years the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce has celebrated the community in recog n izi ng busi nesses, organizations, and individuals that exemplify the very best of the Comox Valley. Visit the Website for a complete list of nominees and finalists. ▪▪▪ Serv i ng 500 member businesses representing over 9000 employees; the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce is a fantastic resource for business. Amplify your business in 2018; become a Comox Valley Chamber Member today. Dianne Hawkins is president and CEO of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce. Reach her at dhawkins@ comoxvalleychamber.com or 250334-3234. www.comoxvalleychamber.com

HIGHSTREET VENTURES HONOURED BY PROFIT 500 tile flooring throughout a nd Energ y Sta r sta i nless steel appliances and range hood exhaust fan. Sliding barn style bedroom doors are featured in premium suites. There is a large shared roof patio for all residents to share. These units are expected to be released for sale on January 6, 2018, with occupancy expected in February 2018. Tenants who have purchased office/commercial space on the main f loor i nclude ch i ropractors, therapists and mortgage brokers. Other tena nts have expressed interest in the building. To date, t here a re t h ree spaces left, ranging in size from 881 sq. ft. to 2,900 sq. ft., with prices ranging from $242 to $252 per sq. ft. to purchase the office space.

23

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COWICHAN VALLEY

24

JANUARY 2018

POSITIVE INDICATORS FOR COWICHAN VALLEY

COWICHAN VALLEY SONJA NAGEL

T

h e D u n c a n C ow i c h a n Chamber of Commerce recently held its AGM. The evening included a presentation from Jon Lefebure, Mayor of the Municipality of North Cowichan and Chair of the Cowichan Valley Regional District. Mayor Lefebure updated members on the status of three prospective public facilities: a new Cowichan District Hospital, Cowichan Seconda ry School a nd a new RCM P building. Ch a mb er P resident Julie Scurr reported on the

Chamber’s advocacy efforts that included supporting the proposed conta i ner a nd tra ns-sh ipment faci l ities i n Por t A lb er n i a nd a re a . T he Cha mber a lso advocated for closing the gap on residential and non-residential taxes, and joined business across Canada in voicing concerns about the federal government’s proposed small business tax-changes. Julie spoke about the Chamb e r ’s v a l u e d re l a t i o n s h i p s with local government, fellow Ch a mb ers, bu si nesses, a nd community organizations. She highlighted a series of sector specific Roundtables done in pa r t nersh ip w it h M NP LLP, Economic Development Cowichan and Community Futures Cowichan. The subsequent reports analyzed business concerns, trends a nd strateg ies for success. The same partners presented at the Vancouver Island Economic Summit session “Cowichan: Changing Times, Changing Priorities, Changing Perceptions”. Ju l ie Scu r r noted p osit ive

indicators for Cowichan’s stating, “Unemployment rates have dropped, housing starts are up, our population has grown, the tourism sector is strong and international visitors are expected to be the primary source of growth in tourism going forward. Businesses have broad opti m ism i n the loca l economy here and are continuing to make investments.” E x e c u t i v e D i re c to r S o n j a Nagel reported that membership rose from 486 to 526 members in the past year. Chamber staff continues to organize 50 events per yea r, processi ng 1700 RSVP’s and ticket sales. Events included the 5th A nnual Business Showcase, and the launch of Cowichan’s first a n nua l Di ne Cow icha n. T he festiva l encou raged patrons to visit more than 20 participating restaurants and enjoy innovative menus at attractive pricing. Sonja also announced that the Black Tie Awards will be held Saturday April 7, 2018 and that nominations are now open.

Directors were acclaimed at t he AGM a nd t he E xecut ive w e re l a te r fo r m a l i z e d , i ncluding: President Julie Scurr, Coast Sa l ish Insu ra nce; 1s t Vice President Chris Duncan MNP; 2nd Vice President Ruth Hartmann, Hartmann Interior Design; Secretary Treasurer Danielle Killam, Grant Thornton LLP a nd Pa st P resident George Gates, Farm Table Inn. Directors - Karen Bittner of Royal LePage; Brenda Burch of Socia l Med ia is Not Simple; Lynn Clark of Maple Bay Manor; Moira Hauk of Coastal Community Credit Union; Arlene Johnson of G3 Mechatronics; Penny Lehan of Lawyer at Coleman Fraser Whittome Lehan; Carol Messier of Maple Bay Marina and Marsha Todd of Unique Home Health Care. The Chamber is also fortunate to have Appointed Directors and Appointed Liaisons on the Board, including: Jean Cardno - Duncan Downtow n BI A , Keith Chicquen – V I U, C a t h y R o b e r t s o n Community Futures Cowichan,

A my M el m o ck – E c o n o m i c Development Cowichan, John Horgan –City of Duncan and Jon Lefebure - Municipality of North Cowichan Sonja Nagel is Executive Director of the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at manager@ duncancc.bc.ca or 250-748-1111

Property Assessments Can Be Appealed Before January 31

I

t’s that time of year when the annual property assessment notice envelope appears in the mailbox or by

e-mail, displaying your 2018 property assessment values and classification. T h is yea r’s not ices a re especia l ly

Property taxes too high? ✦ Is your 2018 Property Assessment value fair? ✦ Is your assessment value equitable? ✦ Is your property tax classification correct? ✦ Have you received all available property tax exemptions? ✦ Should you file an appeal?

Deadline for appeal is January 31, 2018 With over 29 years of property assessment appeal experience, PacWest Commercial Real Estate Advisors specializes in the annual Review and Appeal of property assessments, property tax minimization strategies as well as Property Transfer Tax appeals throughout British Columbia.

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important and deserve close inspection given the record increases in property assessment values over the past year in most areas of British Columbia. It is from this estimation of commercial or industrial property assessment values that local governments and the Province will determine how much overall property tax will be paid this year. The BC Assessment Authority is responsible in the annual valuation of over two million properties in B.C. with less than 700 employees, but it remains the property owners’ responsibility to review and appeal annual property assessment notices. And what if someone doesn’t agree w ith either the assessment va lue or classification? Perhaps it’s too high, or in some cases, too low. Can anything be done about it? Yes. But an appeal must be filed on or before January 31, 2018. There is no fee to file an appeal at this first level of review. Tim Down, President of PacWest Commercial Real Estate Advisors (w w w. pacwestrealestate.ca), specializes in annual property assessment and tax appea l consu lti ng th roughout B.C., notes “If an assessment is incorrect, the owner will be paying more property tax now and into the future, so they need to ensure that they have been assessed fairly and consistently. “Property taxpayers have a right to either the lower of the actual market va lue, or t he equ itable a ssessment value for their property,” Down adds. “It should be no higher than a similar, competing property in their taxing jurisdiction. For example, a commercial property in a downtown location should not be assessed at a higher rate than a similar neighboring property. Down believes the significant

property assessment value increases this year will result in even larger inequitable increases for many property taxpayers if not carefully reviewed and challenged. Also, local governments are increasing property taxes to shore up funding for emerging social initiatives and strategies. These increases tend to place a higher burden of taxation on the non-residential taxpayer. Classification will continue to be an issue for property taxpayers, with the BC Assessment Authority taking aggressive valuation and taxation policy positions in the application of higher tax classifications for mixed-use developments and agricultural lands. BC Assessment Authority continues t hei r t rend to a g g re ssively p u rs u e a sse ssment va lu at ion p ol icie s a nd property tax classification initiatives through legal challenges that will have long lasting impacts on all non-residential taxpayers. D o w n s a y s i t’s b e s t fo r p ro p e r t y owners to stay informed and remain vigilant these days. Especially since that property taxes - after mortgage and lease costs - are the largest annual operating expenses for property owners. Once the appeal deadline has passed, property ta xes ca n not be appea led, and Down notes that property taxes go straight to the bottom line performance of all real estate assets. www.pacwestrealestate.ca

CAMPBELL RIVER

JANUARY 2018

25

CHAMBER’S TV SHOW HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL ECONOMY

I

CAMPBELL RIVER COLLEEN EVANS

n s i ght s & B u s i n e ss, t h e Chamber’s new T V show o n Sh aw T V i s fe a t u re d on so ci a l me d i a pl at for m s, the Campbell River Chamber homepage and on Shaw TV. The shows highlight the industry sectors, business and community leaders supported by timely, key local data on what’s driving Campbell River’s thriving loca l economy a nd busi ness growth. The first episode features highlights and insights from the 200 CEO’s/Business Leaders who participated in the

2017 Business Leaders survey, a partnership of the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce a nd M N P LLP. Show g uests are MNP’s Peter Van Dongen, Regional Marketing Manager and Stuart Wise, Business Advisor, with show host Corby Lamb, Campbell River Chamber Board Chair. T he second epi so d e, hos te d b y Col leen Evans, Chamber CEO & President is a rou nd job creation, business opportunities for attracting, retaining and growing a skilled workforce and what

Campbell River employers and job seekers a re look i ng for. Highlights include how to access funding, training and skill development as key priorities for busi ness, educators a nd service providers alike. Guests are John Bowman, President of North Isla nd Col lege a nd Chris Callanan, Team Leader Employer Services, North Island Employment Foundation Society. The two shows in January are a feature on tourism and export and upcoming shows include the aquaculture

i ndu st r y i n Ca mpbel l R iver and the Chamber’s Major Projects Portal and BC Hydro John Hart and new seismic upgrade projects. ■■■ Con g rat u l at ion s to Susa n Sinnott, winner of the Chamber’s 85 th anniversary prize of a $1000 travel voucher, courtesy of Island Fever Travel & Cruise and the Chamber. Susan was the 85 th name drawn at the Chamber’s Jingle Mingle event.

We’ll be celebrating the very best in 2017 business on Vancouver Island on Jan. 25

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26

JANUARY 2018

Educational Farm Seeks Financial Sponsorship to Grow

G

iving young people and adults roots in the earth while supporting community is the goal of Favour Valley Acres, Deborah and Randy Vanderwolf’s unique educational program. Having passed the pilot stage and demonstrated value to the community, the project is now seeking more supporters to grow and flourish. Located just south of Nanaimo, the 2.6 acre farm offers a handson introduction to food production. There is a meeting space, small animal husbandry, permaculture gardening, and utilization of home-grown produce. The land was purchased by Deborah and Randy Vanderwolf in 2009, a purchase which Deborah describes as a spiritual inspiration. “We have a passion for growing th i ngs, bu i ld i ng th ings, raising animals, and teaching others what we have learned, and sharing what God has blessed us with.” The couple built their log house in 2010, which included meeting space to host youth programs. The couple recognized that many young people are growing up disconnected from the land and without basic skills that earlier generations took for granted. In addition, many urban adults

Randy and Deborah Vanderwolf both grew up on Canadian prairie farms and now want to share their experience

“We have a passion for growing things, building things, raising animals, and teaching others what we have learned.” do not know the process that brings food to the supermarket. “Kids need these life skills. They also need down time away from their screens. Being on the land is a stabilizing influence,” Deborah says.

MID ISLAND LIQUOR a division of Mid Island Co-op

At present, the farm is used by serval organizations which include the Social Justice class from John Barsby Secondary. Produce grown at the farm is donated. There are more groups that want to utilize the farm, Deborah said, but the couple are unable to expand the program without financial support. Running the farm is a full-time job, so the project needs to hire help in order to further educational programs. “The momentum we’ve had is great and everyone sees the value in this but we need major sponsors to keep going and growing,” Deborah says.

1401 Alberni Highway, Parksville, BC

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In addition to the log home, the farm currently has paddocks, out-buildings, and is home to chickens, ducks, three Nigerian Dwarf goats, and four Alpacas. Three-quarters of an acre is devoted to the educational gardens program. Current needs to keep the program going include recruiting major sponsors plus ongoing monthly sponsorships to cover operating costs. A Van is also needed for distribution of produce. To cover the costs, $12,000 to $15,000 in annual donations is required. The farm also needs donations

of professional services, including website development, social media promotion, and accounting. An especially urgent need is help to establish the farm as a charitable organization, so Favour Valley Acres can issue tax receipts for donations. “A lot of people like what we do but we need more support,” Vanderwolf says. She hopes going public with the farm’s needs for financial and volunteer support will encourage donations. For more information or to offer support, please visit the website at http://favourvalleyacres. weebly.com/.

MID ISLAND CO-OP OPENS NEW LIQUOR STORE IN PARKSVILLE Mid Island Liquor: New Division Created To Oversee Liquor Store Development

P

NOW OPEN!

Morning chores at FavourValley include caring for a lively herd of Nigerian Dwarf Goats

ARKSVILLE – Serving its members and customers for nearly 60 years, Mid Island Co-op has evolved over the decades, routinely opening new outlets and introducing services and product lines that both serve the community and help to make the business more profitable. The opening of an expansive new liquor store near its Alberni Highway location in Parksville is the latest example of the company’s brand of forward thinking. “Operating under the brand Mid Island Liquor, we’re going to be opening stand alone liquor stores – with the first example on the Alberni Highway, ideally opening before New Years. Obviously it would be more beneficial from a business point of view to locate these stores as close as we can to an existing gas bar to create a bit of an ‘all in one’ experience for our members,” explained Jared Brown, Co-op’s new Liquor Store Operations Manager. While relatively new to Mid

Island Co-op, having joined the enterprise last July, Brown is no stranger to the Co-op business model or to the operation of liquor stores. He comes to his position with 23 year’s experience working within the Co-operative business system, having worked previously for the Calgary Co-op. About half of his time in Calgary was spent operating a total of six liquor stores for the organization, a division with sales of more than $30 million annually. A Vancouver Island native, Brown and his wife opted to return to the West Coast to raise their family in a quieter and more relaxed Island setting. “Our first location is at 1415 Alberni Highway, right between Parksville and Coombs where we already have a large gas bar. The new liquor store is nearly 5,100 square feet, making it a fairly large operation,” he said. “This is definitely a good sized store, making it very close to being the largest store of its type in the immediate area. Unlike the majority of the stores on the Island this outlet has a nearly 1,000 square foot walk-in wine and beer room, which is an excellent feature.” Operating with an initial staff of nine workers, the new Mid

Island Liquor store is expected to add to its staff count once Coop has a better idea of the outlet’s sales figures. “The unexpected snowfall impacted our delivery of product, so we are having some difficulty stocking the shelves. If we can’t reach our target of late December we’ll definitely be in full operation by mid-January,” Brown stated. Based on the success of this prototype store Mid Island Liquor anticipates opening additional outlets in the coming years, once the test store proves its economic viability. “We’ll have roughly 2,700 items on the shelves, including a number of local beers and wines as well as spirits. There will be a definitely focus on selling local craft beers. It’s a part of the Co-op business model to support the community and this store will certainly do that,” he said. Mid Island Co-op was first launched in 1959 and currently has a membership of more than 57,000. But like with the company’s gas bars, customers do not have to be members to shop. “This store will be a first for Co-op in BC so it’s exciting that Mid Island Co-op is the ground breaker here,” Brown said. www.midisland.coop

WHO IS SUING WHOM

JANUARY 2018

WHO IS SUING WHOM The contents of Who’s Suing Whom is provided by a third-party resource and is accurate according to public court documents. Some of these cases may have been resolved by publication date. DEFENDANT 0732446 BC LTD A-161 Peterson Rd South, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Central Builders Supply Limited CLAIM $22,659 DEFENDANT 1082132 BC LTD 202-1007 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Visionary Glass Inc Claim $101,808 DEFENDANT Aggressive Excavating Ltd 26 Bastion Square, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Allterra Construction Ltd CLAIM $170,000 DEFENDANT Bakerview Motor Inn Ltd 210-3260 Norwell Dr, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Milne Roofing Ltd CLAIM $ 16,657

DEFENDANT Emterra Environmental 304 John St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF OBS Services Ltd CLAIM $ 12,216 DEFENDANT Fisk Construction Incorporated 2-2232 Wilgress Rd, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Milne Roofing Ltd CLAIM $ $ 16,657 DEFENDANT Hummingbird Cove Lifestyles Ltd PLAINTIFF Thorconsult Ltd CLAIM $ 72,319 DEFENDANT Knight Contracting Ltd 420-880 Douglas St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Visionary Glass Inc CLAIM $ 101,808 DEFENDANT Little Urban Vehicles Canada Corp 3436 Willerton Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Victoria Battery Ltd CLAIM $ 10,368 DEFENDANT Lyra Residences GP Inc 202-1007 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF

Visionary Glass Inc CLAIM 101,808 DEFENDANT Lyra Residences Limited Partnership 202-1007 Fort St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Visionary Glass Inc CLAIM 101,808 DEFENDANT Metchosin Properties Inc 26 Bastion Square, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Allterra Construction Ltd CLAIM $ 170,000 DEFENDANT Method Built Homes Inc 4566 Cordova Bay Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Kone Inc CLAIM $ 35,156 DEFENDANT Prices Alarms Systems Ltd 100-4243 Glanford Ave, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Prestwich, Matthew CLAIM $ 21,200 DEFENDANT Pro Power Engines 6921 East Saanich Rd, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Lorenz, Michael

27

CLAIM $ 15,358

CLAIM $ 22,659

DEFENDANT Raj Holdings Ltd 5905 Paldi Rd, Duncan, BC PLAINTIFF Cyprus Marsh Investments Ltd CLAIM $ 162,881

DEFENDANT West Can Carpet One 850 113TH Ave, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF H Long Mechanical Contractors Ltd CLAIM $ 9,678

DEFENDANT RBS Seafood 151 Government St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Nima, Mekdam CLAIM $ 20,076 DEFENDANT Restacon Services Ltd 2218 South Wellington Rd, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Ugoric, Irina CLAIM $ 44,153 DEFENDANT Vancouver Island Tree Services Ltd 3-2025 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo, BC PLAINTIFF Vining, Patricia Anne CLAIM $ 17,750 DEFENDANT W & K Holdings A-161 Peterson Rd South, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF Central Builders Supply Limited

DEFENDANT West Can Floorcoverings Ltd 850 113TH Ave, Campbell River, BC PLAINTIFF H Long Mechanical Contractors Ltd CLAIM $ 9,678 DEFENDANT Western Environmental Solutions E-511 David St, Victoria, BC PLAINTIFF Evergreen Industries CLAIM $ 12,274 DEFENDANT Wilson Enterprises Tree Service 3654 Columbine Rd, Qualicum Beach, BC PLAINTIFF Vining, Patricia Anne CLAIM $ 15,356

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

28

NORTH ISLAND

are you FUTURE READY?

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Vancouver Island’s Office Outfitters™

Mount Cain Alpine Park officially opened for the season on December 30. The mountain is usually open from early December until early April (conditions permitting). Hours of operation are Saturday and Sundays from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Transport Canada has awarded a $4.98-million contract to JDG Construction Management Ltd. to construct a new building at the Port Hardy Airport for storage maintenance of equipment, vehicles and materials. Construction work is expected to begin in early 2018 and be completed by March 2019. The new building will be two storeys and total 1,400-square-meters of space. In addition to storing equipment, the building will contain offices, washrooms and change rooms, showers, a break room, an operations and planning room, and an emergency command centre. Marg Wilson was recently recognized by Port Hardy Council in honour of her volunteerism at the Port Hardy Hospital Auxiliary Society Thrift Store. Starting January 29, North Island College (NIC) will be offering a two year, part-time Tourism and Hospitality Management certificate at their new Thunderbird Mall Campus. The program is similar to NIC’s full time certificate in the Comox Valley but NIC now offers it part time to improve

JANUARY 2018

access for students. Students will learn about B.C.’s Tourism Industry with special emphasis on Aboriginal and Regional Tourism and go behind the scenes to learn from experienced operators.

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CAMPBELL RIVER

Douglas Marion Douglas Marion has been recognized with the title of Queen’s Counsel by Attorney General David Eby. North Island College’s board of governors has renewed and extended its employment contract with John Bowman to serve as NIC president and CEO for a second term, until June 30, 2022. Campbell River Airport built and launched a city-owned jet fuel facility at the end of December. The City has awarded Sealand Aviation Ltd. the contract to provide fuel services at the airport. Friends of the Campbell River Art Gallery has welcomed Chainey Gagnon as their new executive director and chief

curator. Coastline Mazda welcomes Mark Baker to their sales team at 2280 North Island Highway. Epic Design Studio has been recognized as a leader in the graphics industry by 3M Graphics Canada. Epic Design received 3M Select Graphics Provider-Silver Status, indicating Epic’s commitment to providing high-quality 3M graphics to customers and offering a 3M Performance Guarantee on applicable graphics. Barbara Walker was named this year’s recipient of the annual Ambassador Award presented by the Immigration Welcome Centre. The award was in recognition of Walker’s years of tireless volunteering and service to the community. Hengel Denture Clinic has added Denturist Rachael Hengel, to the practice at 100 – 1260 Shoppers Row. Rachael is a graduate SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 29

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

JANUARY 2018

MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

of the Vancouver Community College Denturist program and is a fully licensed Denturist.

COMOX VALLEY

Brett and Doug Walker Brett and Doug Walker have reopened Walker 24 Menswear at 408 Fifth Street in downtown Courtenay after flooding forced them to close for renovations. Finneron Hyundai welcomes Emily Phalen a nd Sven Kars to their team at 250 Old Island Highway in Courtenay. Brian McLean Chevrolet Buick GMC announces that Ryan Sykes is their top salesman of the month at 2145 Cliffe Avenue. North Island College has annou nced a pa rtnersh ip w ith McDonald’s to provide post-secondary education opportunities to McDonald’s employees. Under the agreement, McDonald’s employees can obtain up to 24 credits (eight classes worth) towards NIC’s Bachelor of Business Administration degree if they’ve

completed all of the management training modules offered through the restaurant. Comox Va l ley-based RealStream Income Properties LP has added the Law Courts Annex at 488 Albert Street in Nanaimo to their real estate portfolio. The property is RealStream’s eighth property bringing their portfolio to approximately $44-million in total assets. Sunwest RV Centre has named Dave Hampshire as their top salesman of the month at 2800 Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay.

PARKSVILLEQUALICUM BEACH

Jennifer Lebrun Jennifer Lebrun’s busi ness ULAT Dryer Balls has made Small Business BC’s Top 10 list for the

People’s Choice award. Island Pacific Adventures Ltd is celebrating their 30th anniversary. The company started as a charter boat and scuba diving business and is now the operator of the Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park. A nthony MacAuley Notary Corp has moved a rou nd the corner from their previous location to 127 Alberni Highway in Parksville. Mid Island Liquor, a Division of Mid-Island Co-op, has opened for business at 1401 Alberni Highway in Parksville. A new 40-unit hotel has been issued for a development permit at the site of the current Sand Pebbles Inn at 2751-2767 Island Highway West. The new building will include two floors of rooms, with an additional partial lower floor and a parking level that is approximately one-half storey below the grade of the street. The current hotel only has 21 units. The new development will allow for a café, a neighbourhood pub, a recreation facility and a restaurant. Michael and Els Scutte have opened the Academy of Music and Art at 114 Hirst Avenue in Parksville. The shop offers painting, music and scrapbooking lessons, in addition to selling the owners creations and various goods. Arbutus Dental Clinic welcomes Dr. Simon Gooch to their team at 101 – 183 Fern Road West in Qualicum Beach.

PORT ALBERNI Chris Wagner has brought his company, Pair of Medics, into Port Alberni from Port Hardy. The company offers all levels of first aid training and sells first aid supplies and emergency kits. Port Alberni’s third Tim Horton’s has opened for business on the corner of Johnston Road and Cherry Creek Road. Rob Liddicoat, owner of Parksville Jewellers, has opened a new store three days a week in the plaza at Redford Street and 10th Avenue called Rob Liddicoat Jewellery Repair. Dr. Sergio Pasqua has opened Hybrid Chiropractic at 4710 Roger Street. Hot Shots H a i r Sa lon h a s opened for business at 4035C Redford Street. T he A lberni Auto Group is celebrating their 25th anniversary of serving the Port Alberni community at 2555 Port Alberni Highway.

29 a n nou nce t h at Andrew Callicum has been elected as the new vice-president of the Nuu-chahnulth Tribal Council. Andrew is a member of the Mowachaht First Nation. He has worked as the manager of the Nuu-chah-nulth Employment and Training Program and as the tribal administrator for Hesquiaht First Nation. Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in Port Alberni and member of the Hupacasath First Nation, has been named an officer to the Order of Canada. Sayers is recognized for her contributions to advancing clean energy projects in her community and for her role as a champion of sustainable development in Indigenous communities. Coulson Aviation sent aerial fire-fighting C-130 tankers to California to help fight fires that have been raging out of control. One of Coulson’s tankers was working out of the Santa Maria air tanker base, while the other was in San Bernadino.

TOFINOUCLUELET Andrew Callicum T he Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (N TC) is pleased to

Abby Fortune is celebrating 25 years with Ucluelet’s Parks and Recreation department as the department’s director. Fortune has overseen the department through SEE MOVER’S AND SHAKERS | PAGE 31

OPINION

30

JANUARY 2018 A division of Invest Northwest Publishing Ltd. Vancouver Island Office 25 Cavan Street,Nanaimo, BC V9R 2T9 Toll free: 1.866.758.2684 Fax: 1.778.441.3373 Email: info@businessexaminer.ca Website: www.businessexaminer.ca

PUBLISHER/EDITOR | Lise MacDonald SALES | Shawn Bishop – shawn@businessexaminer.ca, Josh Higgins – josh@businessexaminer.ca, Joanne Iormetti – joanne@businessexaminer.ca WRITERS | Julia MacDonald, John MacDonald, Beth Hendry-Yim, David Holmes, Kristin Van Vloten WEBSITE | John MacDonald – john@businessexaminer.ca

NEW BRUNSWICK PROVING – AGAIN - THAT “TAX THE RICH” SCHEMES DO NOT WORK

MARK MACDONLD

D

espite its populist appeal, the “tax the rich” class-warfare tactic is once again proving to not work. The most recent statistical proof that it simply does not work comes from New Brunswick. Patrick Webber, a research associate for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, notes in a recent article that the province introduced two new tax brackets in 2015 they believed would raise $30 million in additional revenue annually. “A new report released by Statistics Canada suggests that the combined federal and provincial tax bill for the richest 600 New Brunswickers in 2015 was $5.8 million less than in 2014, despite the spike in tax rates,” Webber writes. Webber adds that the measures have impeded and hurt the province’s economy, and notes this:

“As the evidence from 2015 shows, the top one per cent will simply reduce their activity, find a cooler tax climate and pay less. . .And as revenues decline from highest income earners, the tax burden will shift to mid-and low-income earners.” The “rich”, or “so-called rich”, are those who, in most cases, invest their money into businesses and investments in hopes of earning a return. And by so doing, they create jobs, which helps people raise families and buy homes, vehicles and vacations. A very strong argument could be made that they already pay far more than their “fair share” of taxes, from their own paycheques, and through what they do. Any business owner can look at their payroll – and the federal and provincial taxes that are deducted from employees – in addition to the GST, PST, Employment Insurance and WorkSafe BC levies that are covered by gross income, and ask: Isn’t that enough? It’s never enough for greedy governments, who view it as their right to tax and tax some more, instead of the obvious other alternative – cutting back. As more and more people become government dependent, there becomes more public outcry for more services, paid for by someone else.

Incredulously, one citizen recently cried aloud for more from their government, stating “this doesn’t come from taxpayers”. Somehow, there’s a total disconnect when someone can passionately make such an ignorant statement. Have people forgotten that governments don’t have money – they take it from citizens? That in Canada, we didn’t even have income tax until the dire circumstances of the First World War? Those taxes have never disappeared. . .they’ve only increased. ■■■ There seems to be a prevailing attitude these days that if one repeats something often enough that it becomes true. Consider this one statement that politicians bleat passionately with a straight face: “economic growth comes from strong environmental policy,” or something that sounds similar. Really? Then how does one explain the economy of China? Their environmental standards pale in comparison with ours, yet that country, along with India, continues to lead the world in economic growth. An argument could be made that, due to its sheer size, population and non-environmental standards, anything that Canada might do towards reducing carbon emissions

in a year is counterbalanced by China’s exhale in a day. We rightly realize that protecting the environment is good for our health and well-being, and that is not to be understated. We need and enjoy clean air and water, without question. But the claim that it is good for the economy directly? That doesn’t make any logical sense. How? Where? In what instance? That claim is made ad infinitum for one purpose: To justify punitive taxes in the eyes of voters on one of wealthiest resource sector – oil and gas. Despite what people might believe, very little of any carbon tax actually does anything to help the environment. Those taxes are pumped into general revenue. Don’t believe it? Don’t look any further than British Columbia. The federal government’s recent “measures” are expected to result in a 17 cent per liter increase in the price of gas. How does that help the economy? Forget the federal and provincial government’s claims of support for small business. The gigantic increases in fuel and the yet-tocome minimum wage are far more than a measly one per cent shaving of the small business tax rate for most companies. A healthy environment? Yes, we

all want that. But tell the truth. Or produce the truth, that protecting the environment boosts the economy. ■■■ T here is some concern that now that the Green portion of GreeNDP failed in its bid to stop Premier John Horgan’s approval to continue Site C dam construction to completion, and that the National Energy Board has overturned a Burnaby city appeal of the decision to allow the twinning of the Kinder Morgan Pipeline, that they will turn their sights to another resource sector: Aquaculture. One-sided, fact-void, anti-fish farm rhetoric is on the rise, which has to make the 5,000 people employed in this valuable industry nervous. T here i s no way to paci f y eco-fanatics. Their goal seems to be the shutdown of any and all resource-based industries. Last week’s announcement that the provincial government won’t issue an environmental certificate for the Ajax mine near Kamloops is yet another example of its war on resources, and the hundreds of jobs – many of them well-paying union jobs – that won’t be created. It makes one wonder what exactly the GreeNDP envisions for the BC economy.

INVESTOR CONFIDENCE PLUMMETS FOR BC ENERGY SECTOR

KENNETH P. GREEN AND ASHLEY STEDMAN

THE FRASER INSTITUTE

I

nvestor confidence in BC’s energy sector is crucial, since the province is rich with vast natural gas resources. But according to this year’s Fraser Institute Global Petroleum Survey, BC ranks dead last among Canadian provinces in investment attractiveness in the oil and gas sector. With tanker moratoriums, liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant cancellations, calls for a fracking review and a government dedicated to pipeline obstructionism, it’s not surprising that investors

are deeply wary of putting more assets into the province’s energy sector. Indeed, this was reflected in this year’s survey, which tracks the perceptions of investors eyeing jurisdictions worldwide. The survey spotlights policies (royalties and taxes, duplicative regulations, etc.) that govern the oil and gas industry, and make a jurisdiction attractive or unattractive to investment. This year, BC saw its global ra n ki ng deteriorate rapid ly, dropping out of the top 50 per cent to the bottom 25 per cent. It now ranks 76th of 97 jurisdictions. Survey respondents cited political instability, fiscal terms and the high cost of regulatory compliance as significant deterrents to investment. The percentage of negative responses due to BC’s protected areas and disputed land claims also remains high. In fact, most survey respondents - nearly 80 per cent for disputed land claims and 65 per cent for protected areas - said these factors deter

Tanker Moratoriums, LNG Plant Cancellations, Fracking Reviews, Government Pipeline Obstructionism Are All Taking Their Toll

investment. BC’s significant decline in this year’s survey can be blamed on a wide array of policy changes. In particular, the recently-elected New Democratic government (supported by the Green Party) has promised to raise the carbon tax by 66 per cent and it opposes the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline System expansion. The Green Party also opposes LNG production and export.

While BC becomes less attractive to investment, other Canadian provinces continue to fare better. This year, Newfoundland and Labrador (fourth) and Saskatchewan (seventh) ranked in the global top 10. Neighbouring Alberta (33 rd) saw its score increase slightly this year (although the province remains the second least attractive jurisdiction to invest in Canada). Me a nwh i le, i n t he Un ited States, LNG terminals are opening and President Donald Trump is implementing sweeping energy sector reforms that cut taxes and regulations. Trump’s administration is opening additional lands, suspending onerous regulations, dropping international greenhouse gas obligations, allowing oil exports and promising to cut taxes on business. Ultimately, Trump’s policy decisions pose competitiveness challenges north of the border. BC’s policies raise concerns about whether the province’s energy sector is open for business. Why would investors put

their money into BC, as opposed to other provinces or U.S. states, if the government insists on increasing taxes and regulatory uncertainty? BC’s drop in the eyes of investors should concern policy-makers in Victoria. Petronas has already pulled the plug on a multibillion-dollar LNG project. With low commodity prices and variable market conditions, policy decisions matter. Adding costs and uncertainty moves the province in the wrong direction and only pushes future investment - and the potential prosperity it carries -away from BC To improve BC’s image in the eyes of investors, the government of Premier John Horgan should pursue competitive and stable policies, for the benefit of British Columbians and their families. Kenneth P. Green and Ashley Stedman are the co-authors of the Fraser Institute’s annual Global Petroleum Survey.

SUBCRIPTIONS | $45 PER YEAR (12 ISSUES), $80 FOR 2 YEARS (24 ISSUES), SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: BUSINESSEXAMINER.CA. DISTRIBUTION: SECOND WEEK OF EACH MONTH VIA CANADA POST AD MAIL. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Produced and published in British Columbia. All contents copyright Business Examiner Vancouver Island, 2017. Canadian Publications Mail Acct.: 40069240

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

JANUARY 2018

MOVERS AND SHAKERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

significant projects and developments over the years including the $9-million Ucluelet Community Centre, which she saw through a 2008 referendum and successfully completed. Signy Cohen has received the Pacific Rim Arts Society’s Rainy Coast Arts Award in recognition of her contribution to the West Coast art community. The award recognizes longstanding dedication to the support of local arts and culture and the production of artistic work that represents the West Coast.

NANAIMO VMAC announced the appointment of former president Jim Hogan to the position of chief executive officer, and Tod Gilbert, former executive vice president, to president. Harris Mazda welcomes Geoff Reinhard to their sales team at 2525 Bowen Road. Nanaimo RCMP has created a new mental health liaison position and hired Cpl. Brigitte Goguen to fill the position. The role was created to respond to the growing number of mental health-related calls, which have risen from 1,313 in 2014 to 2,224 last year. The Nanaimo Clippers have let go of their head coach and GM Mike Vandekamp due to irreconcilable differences with the management team. Vandekamp was in his seventh season as the team’s coach. Taking his place is General Manager and Director of Player Development Darren Naylor, who arrived when the B.C. Hockey League team was purchased by Vancouver area lawyer Wes Mussio prior to Christmas. Mont & Walker Law Corporation announces that Esther Robson has joined their firm at 201 Selby Street. Esther practices commercial and corporate law, employment law, real estate, wills and estate planning. Gabriola Arts Council is celebrating their 20th year of advocating on behalf of artists on Gabriola Island, promoting art accessibility and providing arts-related programming. Nanaimo school board trustees reappointed Steve Rae and Stephanie Higginson as chair and vice-chair respectively at a recently held board meeting. Natasha Bob was elected chair of the education committee, Bill Robinson vice-chair. Scott Kimler is the chair of the business committee and Jeff Solomon is vice-chair. Royal LePage Nanaimo Realty announces the addition of Chantelle Opdahl and Wendy Hetman to their Royal Service Group. Steve Marshall Ford has named Rob Willoughby as their top salesperson of the month at 3851 Shenton Road. Kirsten Michieli is the top salesperson of the month at Nanaimo Toyota at 2555 Bowen Road. The Lantzville Fire Department has added Neil Rukus as their new fire chief. Rukus comes from a family of firefighters and was named the second-ever paid part-time fire chief for Lantzville Fire Rescue last month, replacing former chief Rob Chatton, who retired earlier this year. Michael James Wyse Sr. is the new chief of the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Wyse won the two-way race for chief over incumbent Chief John Wesley by roughly 100 votes in the recently held election. The councillors elected includes: Chris Good, Emmy Manson, Erralyn Thomas,

Paul Wyse-Seward and Joe White. MacIsaac & Company has moved to a new location at #102 – 5070 Uplands Drive. Hair Mates Barbers & Stylists welcomes Kallie Quinn to their team at 6894 North Island Highway. Sean Krepps is the top salesperson of the month at Harbourview Volkswagen at 4921 Wellington Road.

LADYSMITHCHEMAINUS The Chemainus Chamber of Commerce has announced their new executive and board of directors for the coming year. The board includes Kelly-Ann Argue of Classic Carriages, Michael Erichsen of Island Savings Insurance, Laurel Gourley of Laurel’s Place, Sam Higgs of Sawmill Taphouse and Grill, Paul McGregor of 49th Parallel Grocery, Dorothy McKee of Chemainus Liquor Store, Lorna Rivard of Chemainus Theatre Gallery, Roy Summerhayes of Vancouver Island Web Media and Len Lavender of Royal Canadian Legion Chemainus Branch 191. The executive members of the board includes Lana Halme of Downtown Auto Service as president; Aly Tomlin of Riot Brewing Company, second vice president; Anita Voisin of Chemainus Family Eye Care, secretary/treasuer; and George Gates of Farm Table Inn, immediate past president. Riot Brewing has received an award from Island Savings Credit Union as the Best New Business in the Cowichan Valley region. Riot Brewing is located at 101A3055 Oak Street in the Chemainus Village Square complex, where they recently celebrated their first anniversary. Mike’s Café has moved to a new location at 1532 Chaplin Street in Crofton.

Saturday, April 7 at Brentwood College. Jackson is being honoured for his contributions to Cowichan during his extensive volunteer work for the Cowichan Hospital Foundation, Cowichan Golfers Against Cancer, Cowichan Women Against Violence, Kid Sport and many other organizations. As the general manager and head pro at the Cowichan Golf and Country Club, Norm has earned multiple industry awards with his team at the club’s Golf Shop, and has twice been honoured as the BC PGA Pro of the Year. Nominations for other award categories are open until January 31. Margo Young announces that after 25 years of business, her accounting firm, MY Accountant CPA Ltd. has moved its office to 149 First Street. Mariya Young, CPA and Michelle Strougler, BBA have also recently joined the firm. DLC Lighthouse Mortgage Corp. has partnered with Duncan’s Experience Cycling to donate 16 new bikes to the Cowichan Women Against Violence Society to distribute to their clients in need. The Sundrops Centre for Child Development is moving from their location at the Clements Centre into a bigger space of their own at 5814 Banks Road. Their new location is the former Island Oak High School which closed at the end of the 2017 school year. Discovery Honda welcomes Dan Easton to their team as a new sales manager. The dealership also congratulates their top three stars of the month: Joe Graham, Craig Hindle and Lloyd Jones. Discovery Honda is at 6466 Bell McKinnon Road. Ridgway & Company welcomes Brian McDaniel to their firm as associate counsel at 200-44 Queens Road. Brian has fortytwo years of experience practicing law in the Cowichan Valley and has an extensive

31

background in civil litigation and dispute resolution. Thrive Now Physiotherapy announces the opening of their second location in Duncan at Unit 103 - 373 Coronation Avenue. Rose Wagner has opened Little Bird at 163 Station Street. The shop is a combination of a gift store and a card shop, featuring Rogers Chocolates, greeting cards, soaps, lotions, wrapping paper and much more. Leyla Nikkel has opened STEAM+D Works Makerspace at Whippletree Junction. The new shop is a place where people with shared interests can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment and knowledge. Bowmel Chrysler congratulates Danny Johnson on recently achieving top salesman of the month at 461 Trans-Canada Highway. Three Duncan businesses were honoured at Island Savings’ 2017 Fan Choice Awards. Yoga by Lura was the winner in the health and wellness category for Duncan, Wall Street Clothing took top honours in the retail category and Hair at 60 Queens won in the beauty category. Katie and Scott Mahon are merging their two Mad Dog Crabs locations into one larger store at 775 Canada Avenue. They are expanding the location on Canada Avenue and closing their store at the Old Farm Market. Blue Lilly Event Planning recently won the Best Décor award in the province at the Professional BC Wedding Awards at an event held in Vancouver. Harold Wallace, a long-time Cowichan Valley funeral director and operator of H.W. Wallace Cremation and Burial Centre, was recently presented with the City of Duncan’s Scroll of Honour.

COWICHAN VALLEY Corinne de Lange, owner and operator of Cowichan Sound & Cellular, has sold her business and retired as of January 1. Corinne’s son, Douglas de Lange, Manager of the Cowichan Commons and Canada Avenue locations, will be taking the helm of the two locations.

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Norm Jackson The Duncan Chamber of Commerce announces that the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Norm Jackson at their 2018 Black Tie Awards on

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